To Be A Shinigami:A Noble's Daughter
by Lady Kagewaki
Summary: Tashi dreams of being a Shinigami but is held back by trying to constantly protect her family’s honor and by a marriage she doesn’t want. Will Byakuya, Renji, or Tashi’s best friends be able to help? Rated M for Atsumi’s foul mouth. Plz R
1. Prologue

Prologue

Kuchiki Byakuya opened his eyes to another day. The large room where he slept was empty and quiet. He sat up and took a deep breath. He walked over to the shoji screens that separated his room from the garden out back and opened them up. He sat and meditated, quietly, and tried to welcome another day peacefully.

He blinked his eyes open as he felt the sun trickle over the high fence and onto his face. The sun shown in his deep grey eyes and he decided it was time to go. He had to review the new students at the Academy by request of Captain Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni.

His servants had laid out the gi and cloak he had requested and he decided to dress himself. He looked at himself in a mirror as he threw the white cloak of a Captain of the 13 Gotei over his shoulders. He slid his arms through the arm holes and pulled his hair out from underneath the white cloth. A servant combed Byakuya's hair, careful not to disturb the Kenseikan, the adornment that reflected his nobility.

When it was time Byakuya left the house of Kuchiki and headed for the Shinigami Academy.

* * *

Renji eventually shook off the sleepy feeling from his limbs and sat up on his futon. He yawned, sighed, then he too got ready for the day. After he dressed he combed and tied his hair back. Looking in the mirror he ran a quick hand across his forehead admiring the tattoos that signified his accomplishments and smirked. He picked up a piece of white cloth and carefully folded it over. He then tied it around his head. Renji Abarai picked up his sword, slid it into his belt and headed for the Shinigami Academy. He was to meet his captain there to review the powers of the students they took on that semester.

* * *

Tashi Touichi had recently been accepted to the Spiritual Tehcnique Insititute, otherwise known as the Shinigami Academy. She woke up in her family's large home and was served her breakfast in her bedroom. She was greeted with "Good morning young mistress."

Her servants tended to all her needs and she felt some anxiety as she had never been away from home before, nor without a chaperone. 'I'm going to have to try and live like a normal school girl. I can do this!' She had two bags packed and waiting for her by the door. She told her servants she would be dressing not in her normal travel attire, but in her school uniform.

She spent some time with her elder brother who was currently on bedrest recovering from an illness. After saying her goodbyes to him she said goodbye to her parents and got on to her palanquin and headed for the academy. She watched her large home get smaller in the distance and looked ahead down the road in front of her. '…I _hope_ I can do this.'

Tashi's parents, members of a rural, but noble family, paid for her lodging which was much closer to the school than her home. She decided to rent a house close to the school and took on two roommates. They were two girls who Tashi met during the entrance exams; Eri, who was from a respectable family, though it was in the middle districts of Rukongai and Atsumi, who was also from Rukongai, but not so respectable. The odd trio all shared one bedroom, a bunk bed and a single bed, and a desk that they all shared. They were fast good friends, despite their differences.

They were entering their first year at the academy and looked forward to the several years that lay ahead of them. They all knew that the training of a Shinigami was long and arduous, but they figured that if the three of them could stick together they could get through anything.

All three girls were placed in the third class. They were average amongst their peers, and glad of it. One day, in between classes Atsumi said to her companions "Ah, shit girls. Can you imagine the pressure of being in the 1st class? Jeez. They're number 1, so they have to stay number one. Then the 2nd class is always being pressured to beat the 1st. It's fuckin' crazy. We may be number three, but at least we can learn at our own pace, eh? Shit, it's not like we're at the bottom of the barrel in the 6th class. That would just plain suck balls."

Tashi often felt like washing out her ears after listening to Atsumi muse. Tashi had been raised in a noble household and taught very rigid and proper etiquette. Swearing was on her list of 'don'ts'. "You're right on that account Atsumi, but I can't help but feel my parents were disappointed that I didn't make it up there."

Eri sighed and clasped her notebook to her chest. "That's Tashi for you. Always worried about her parents." Eri then looked at Atsumi and said "And you need to watch your tongue around here. At home you're just offending us, but when you're here, Atsumi, the professors might hear you. Watch out; if not for Tashi's sake, for your own."

"My sake?" said Tashi. "Why me?"

"You get all squirmy when I talk sometimes" said Atsumi laughing at Tashi's prim and proper nature. "You get uptight about some things."

"Actually I was thinking it's because the captains are going to be on campus next week. One of them might overhear you!" said Tashi.

Atsmui said "We need to relax you a bit. OH! That reminds me!" Atsumi put her arms around her friends and huddled them close. She whispered "I hear there's going to be one huge-ass party at that guy Tetsuo's place tomorrow night. You guys in? I can get you in, you know."

Eri perked up and said "Tetsuo?"

Atsumi tugged on one of Eri's low and short pig tails then nodded and said "Uh-huh. That hunk-a-hottie you like."

Eri got very red in the face and said "I-I-I-"

Atusmi finished her sentence "Got a big thing for him?"

"Oh shut up, Atsumi" said Eri, embarrassed.

Tashi smiled and giggled. "You should go then! Why are we whispering?"

Eri and Atsumi looked at Tashi and both said "duuuuuuh."

"Duh what?"

Atsumi said "#1, not everyone is invited, and #2 there'll be booz. A whole fuckin' lotta booz."

Tashi's eyes went wide and she said "But, but, we're too young! That's illegal! And as students of this Academy it's against the rules!"

Atsumi nodded with satisfaction and said "Uh-fuckin'-huh."

"Guys, be careful if you decide to go" said Tashi.

"Whattaya mean? You're comin' too!" said Atsumi.

"No, I'm not. If I get caught that's the end of my life right there. I can just hear my mother now." Tashi straightened up her posture and made her voice a whiny high pitch. She pointed her finger to the sky and said "Well I never. In all my years raising a proper young lady of the royal courts, I never expected you to stoop so low as to ruin all my hard work! Who's going to marry you now!"

"What does a party have to do with you getting married?" asked ATsumi.

"If there's one blemish on my reputation it could hinder a suitable man from approaching me" explained Tashi.

"You're a fuckin' kid" said Atsumi.

"And when I'm not anymore someone is going to look back and check my record. If there's one blemish ATsumi that's it. I need to be able to rope in the best."

"What does it matter so much? Why not just marry someone who loves you for your faults, eh?"

"Because the man I marry will affect the lives of all the people my father currently lords over. I'm not marrying him for me, Atsumi."

"Eh?" said Atsumi "Sucks to be you."

Eri said "Well, I can understand you being cautious Tashi, but don't forget to have some fun while youre here. Maybe next time?"

"Maybe when I'm legally old enough to enjoy a party like that" said Tashi. The bell rang and Tashi said "I'm sorry guys. Really. If it was just me I had to worry about then I'd be ther in a heartbeat."

Tashi ran ahead and Atumi said sarcastically "Well she's going to be a load of fun this semester."

"Don't be cruel Atsumi. She's under a lot of pressure."

"Yeah. I know. C'mon we'll be late" said Atsumi, unsure of what the future held.


	2. CHAPTER 2 The Captain

Chapter 2 The Captains Visit

The next week Tashi sat in class at the Academy. The lecture was very interesting to her, but she had a nearly unbearable urge to visit the ladies room. 'I knew I shouldn't have had that second glass of tea this morning!'

Earlier in the week it had been announced that the captains of the Gotei 13 would be visiting the school to review the new classes and give lectures and demonstrations for the some of the classes. Tashi had caught a glimpse of some of the captains in the hallway between classes.

'That's it, I can't hold it anymore!' She asked the student next to her to take notes for her while she ran to the ladies room. She discretely stepped out and into the hallway. She walked down the hall towards the ladies room and to her surprise encountered the Captain Ichimaru, of the third squad. She bowed deeply and waited for him to pass, but he didn't.

"My my. Headed somewhere _durin'_ class? Mm mm. I hope you're not skippin'" he teased.

Tashi laughed a little and said "No, sir, no. I'm headed down the hall here and then back to class." 'I have to GO! Oh my gods, do I have to GO!'

"You seem to be in a rush." Ichimaru sensed her urgency and decided to have some fun. "Now where could you be headed that's more important than class, eh?"

Tashi felt pains in her stomach and figured she was past trying to be discrete. "I am headed towards the ladies room, sir."

"Really? Well, don't let me keep you then." Ichimaru stood where he was, in front of her.

She raised slowly from her bow and said "Thank you, sir." When she tried to side step the captain to get past him, he stepped in front of her blocking her way.

She smiled, taking it as a fumble, as people often do when trying to get out of each other's way and said "Excuse me." She took a step to the left, and so did he. She saw it was no mistake and that he was toying with her. 'Shit! Why is he doing this?' She took another side step and so did he. Again and again it happened and Tashi was getting frustrated. 'I can't force my way past, he is my superior! Oh, hell, he's my superior's superior! But I don't want to wet my pants in front of him either! Shit! Shit! Shit!'

Step, block, step, block. Tashi then tried more aggressively to pass him, but his flash-step technique was more advanced than hers and she knew the current technique she was employing was useless. She tried to fake to her left and dash to the right, but Ichimaru was way ahead of her. He laughed at her efforts and she was shocked he was enjoying torturing her in this childish way.

She began to weigh her options and which would be worse. 'Shoving a Captain, or pissing myself in front of him….'

She chose the former. She stood her ground and when he stepped in front of her she used both hands to slam him out of her way. He stumbled backwards, not expecting the young woman to attack him, but as she passed he reached out and grabbed her wrist. He quickly regained his balance and pulled her close.

Tashi looked up at his eerie smiling face and regretted deeply what she had done. Then Tashi heard another man's voice. "Captain Ichimaru. Is there a problem?"

Tashi knew that voice. She had been raised on it.

She saw Ichimaru's attention be diverted to the source and he backed off. He said "We're just havin' some fun." He laughed and walked off down the hallway.

After the Ichimaru released her she stepped back and took hold of her wrist. Tashi was afraid to look up, but she did and saw Captain Byakuya Kuchiki and his Vice-Captain Renji Abarai. She knew it was Kuchiki-sama from the sound of his voice, but couldn't believe her eyes. This man was the head of the royal family which ruled directly over the lands she hailed from. In essence, Byakuya Kuchiki was her lord. She felt her hands trembling, unsure of what to say to him.

The Captain said "You should not be aggressive towards your superiors. It could lead to serious disciplinary action or perhaps even expulsion from the academy."

She looked back and forth at the two legendary men in front of her and said "Yes, sire, I will keep those words close to my heart. I'm sorry, sire. My apologies!" Tashi then awkwardly ran to the bathroom door and slammed into it. It was locked. She was ready to break down the door but then it opened from the inside. She pushed the other student out of the way and dove into a stall. 'Who the hell locks the door of a public bathroom!?' Her thoughts quickly reverted to what she would have to do to thank Kuchiki-sama after she was relieved.

She made her way back into the hallway and found it empty. The bell rang, signifying that the next class was about to begin. She ran back to the lecture hall she had been in and collected her books. She ran directly to her next class, which was kidou instruction.

The bell rang signifying the beginning of the next class session. Tashi had yet to arrive.

The task for the day was demonstrated by a very young man named Captain Toushirou Hitsugaya. The young captain focused his large blue-green eyes on the target and raised his hand. Captain Hitsugaya instructed the class on a simple kidou chant and a large, but finely controlled blast of energy shot from his hand, the force of which blew his silver hair back, and completely destroyed the target. He turned to the class who were all atwitter about his power and he told them. "This is a difficult task for those of your level. It will be impressive if you are even able to hit the target."

Tashi sped down a dark hallway which led to the outdoor kidou practice area. The bell rang before she made it to her spot outside. She took a moment to catch her breath and then entered the practice yard and took her seat.

She tried to walk in unnoticed, but since all other students were sitting all the teachers and the few special guest captains noticed her tardiness as well. She sat on her folded legs and waited her turn. 

The first line got up and made a decent effort. One hit the corner of one of the targets while the others had impressive amount of force, but couldn't make it far enough across the yard to hit the target. Tashi didn't notice the efforts though, she was distracted and her mind was elsewhere.

Tashi's seat was behind her roommate and close friend Eri. Eri turned slightly and whispered "What's up with you being late--?" Before Eri said any more she noticed Tashi was not herself. Eri's friend was shaking, from fear or anger she couldn't tell. "What happened? Tashi, shake it off! The Captains are here! Try to make a good impression." Eri quickly told Tashi the chant and then turned around for her turn.

Eri wished she could have thought of something more supportive to say when she saw tears well up in Tashi's eyes.

Tashi closed them and thought 'It's too late for that' and ran over what it felt like to shove the captain away from her. She then heard Kuchiki-sama's words in her mind. _"You should not be aggressive towards your superiors. It could lead to serious disciplinary action or perhaps even expulsion from the academy." _ 'Expulsion? Oh gods! If I'm expelled for that my parents…my brother… my family!' She thought of having to tell her family and the shame it would bring them and the burden she would bare.

Before she knew it, Tashi was standing staring at a target. She felt Captain Ichimaru there, very close by and tried to ignore him. She raised her hand, focused on the target, but didn't feel she had enough power to create a large ball of energy. She spoke the chant and released a small shot of energy. The energy she released manifested as a tiny ball; it was fast and very accurate. The center ring was burned away from Tashi's target, but the rest of the target was untouched.

There were murmurs among the students and the captains. Tashi was used to murmurs because everyone knew she was of high noble birth and often murmured when she was around. Tashi had also missed Hitsugaya's demonstration, and was too lost in thought to notice how her fellow students had done. They had yet to remove Hitsugaya's completely destroyed target and it was the first thing Tashi saw. She compared it to her own result and thought she utterly failed thinking it was an example of what needed to be accomplished that day. 'Who needs to expel me? I'll just flunk out at this rate and in front of all the Captains too!'

In a fog she went back on her line and awaited her next turn. Before she knew it she heard a laugh that made her skin crawl and felt the breath of the third unit squad Captain Ichimaru on her neck. He whispered "That was pretty impressive. If you had more power I'd take you into my squad tomorrow."

She thought he was being sarcastic and anger welled up inside her. Her hands were shaking now and she wanted nothing more than to release her anger. 'Why is this man being so cruel to me?' Her father's smiling face flashed in her mind. 'I'm sorry father, I'm really sorry!' She began to see spots and felt light headed. Again she did not see the display of the other students. She heard comments and murmurs from the other students, but was feeling a bit overwhelmed by the events of the afternoon to really hear them.

There was one student in particular who was very impressive. It turned out that it was Tetsuo. Eri smiled broadly at his accomplishments. Eri and Tetsuo had started dating since their official meeting at the coffee shop. He destroyed most of the target with a great deal of energy.

Tashi noticed the explosion, but soon went back to her own thoughts. 'How am I going to face my parents and tell them I failed? They are counting on me to become more powerful! My family needs me, all those people need me.' She heard the laugh of Ichimaru behind her and it brought her back to a boiling anger. 'If that slant-eyed demon thinks he can threaten my family he is wrong!'

She looked down at her hands and saw them shaking again. She balled them into fists on her lap, trying to get herself into control, but she found it hard.

Across the yard, Renji Abarai noticed her shaking fists and her proximity to Ichimaru.

Tashi found herself in the front of the line again and stood looking at Captain Hitsugaya's and Tetsuo's destroyed targets. The emotion was burning her stomach as she raised her hand. She screamed out the chant and a huge blast of energy annihilated her target, and half the targets on either side of her own.

When the smoke cleared she was still looking at her shaking hand and the hole she left in the fence behind the targets. 'Oh crap. Assaulting an officer, destruction of school property…This is great. Just great. Wait…' Tashi dropped her hand and looked at what she did in disbelief. "I…I did that?" she whispered. The kidou practice field was silent. The attempts of the two students to either side of her failed to reach their targets.

Tashi composed herself, as her mother had taught her to always do when she found herself the center of attention, and took her seat. Ichimaru leaned down again and whispered in her ear "Perhaps we can push that up to later this afternoon?"

She looked up at him and whispered "I wouldn't join your squad if it was the only one available! I'd rather live in the 79th district of Rukongai!"

Eri heard the comment and felt faint. 'What is wrong with you, Tashi? What is she thinking! He's a captain! He just complimented her!'

Ichimaru laughed and quietly said "You're not the forgivin' type, are ya?"

Tashi said "Oh I forgive just fine, but I don't forget."

Ichimaru laughed out loud and backed off. Tashi wondered why he backed off so easily and didn't continue his taunting. She looked up and saw the young white haired captain approaching her. His blue green eyes were stern, and she wondered if she was in trouble. Captain Hitsugaya knelt down next to her and said "That was very powerful, but you need to control that power."

'Oh no!' "I'm sorry, I don't even know where that came from" she said, assuming she did something wrong.

Hitsugaya looked up at Ichimaru then back to Tashi. He could sense the tension in the air and told her "Sometimes when we feel threatened our reiatsu flairs up."

"How do I learn to control that? Or call on it when I need it?" asked Tashi, wishing there was an easy answer.

Surprisingly, Hitsugaya's face softened and he said with comfort that Tashi needed "That's why you are in school. You will learn this over time."

Tashi felt a bit relieved, but still was shook up over Ichimaru. The bell rang and it was midday. Tashi had a break and spent part of it getting Eri up to speed on what had happened.

"Oh, my gods, Tashi. You met Kuchiki-sama? Isn't he like, your king or something?"

"Yes, yes. My mother and father's lands are under his domain."

"That reminds me, how is your brother doing?"

"Not great. He's bed-ridden now." Tashi leaned up against the building and sighed. "He's…it's not the same illness. He's probably not getting better."

The breeze shook their clothes and Eri tried to think of something positive to say. "Oh, Tashi! At least you're here, right? Being a Shinigami will help!"

"I'm not a Shinigami, yet Eri. If things keep going like this…"

"You did great today!"

"If Ichimaru holds something against me I doubt I will get far. I need to become a Shinigami and prove I have the power to lead my family if something should happen to my elder brother, Eri. It's going to take a lot more than doing well in class to help."

"But at least it's a start."

"I'm not even in the advanced class. How can I truly succeed? Plus, what about Captain Ichimaru—"

"Forget it. Just do your best. Plus, after this demonstration today maybe Captain Kuchiki will help you. Just go to him and explain what happened and he's bound to see you're no troublemaker. Your father was injured in that war, wasn't he? Maybe you can ask for Kuchiki's help dealing with Ichimaru for your father's sake!"

"That's pretty presumptuous…I don't think…" Tashi didn't feel comfortable asking anyone for anything. "I don't think I deserve that."

"I just don't get you girl" said Eri.

"You weren't raised like I was! You have no idea how—"

"How into themselves your royal family is? No I don't. All I know is my friend feels she's being treated poorly and that her family is in danger. He can help. Just try! What's the worst that will happen? Renji Abarai was there, maybe he'll pass on the word to Kuchiki-sama how well you did today!"


	3. Busted

Chapter 1 Busted

Later that week Tashi sat at her desk studying as usual on a school night. Atsumi was out at Tetsuo's party and Eri was at a study group and was then to join Atsumi at the party later. Tashi was chewing on her pencil when Eri burst through the front door of their small house, down the hallway straight into the bedroom. "ATSUMI'S IN TROUBLE!"

Tashi couldn't believe her eyes. Eri was disheveld with a few small scratches on her face. There was dust on her clothing and she was panting form her high speed run. "The party's going…"

"What? Tetsuo's party? What are you saying?" Tashi brought Eri in the room and sat her down on the bed.

"The party Atsumi is at is going to get BUSTED!" sputtered Eri.

"Huh? Busted? What's that?"

"Oh for shit's sake, Tashi! You're so damned naïve! The Campus Squad Shinigami are going to get everyone there in trouble!"

"How do you know that the party's going to be…busted?"

"I was walking towards the party after the study group broke up and I saw some campus-sqaud Shinigami walking down the street. They mentioned the party! They know! I hid so they wouldn't see me, but we have to help Atsumi!"

"Why?"

"Atsumi is there!"

"…So?"

"How can you be so heartless, Tashi?!"

"Well, maybe it will do her good to get caught. She parties too much!"

"Atsumi is our friend! Getting her expelled own't help!"

"Expelled? Is it all that serious?" asked Tashi, completely ignorant of life outside her noble bubble.

"YES!"

"Well…" Tashi felt helpless. "What can we really do?"

"I don't know! That's why we need to figure it out!" said Eri, desparate.

"I have a messenger! I'll send her a message on my phone! Then we'll go meet up with her."

"They can trace those messages, Tashi. I don't want her mistakes getting us in trouble! You can't send a message saying '_Leave the party, you're going to get caught_!' that won't help anyone!" cried Eri. Eri then leaned on Tashi and began to cry. "I'm scared for her Tashi, what are we going to do? I want to help her, but I don't' want us to get burned for her mistakes!"

Tashi then cooed to Eri. "Alright…if it means that much. We'll figure something out. Just keep cool Eri. Despite popular dramas, it's not becoming for a lady to fall into hysterics." Tashi stood up and took her communicator from her desk drawer. "I'm glad my parents got one of these for me. They're pricey. I hear they're common place in the living world. I'm surprised that Atsumi pours as much of her income into one as she does."

"Tashi!" said Eri as she wiped her eyes "What are you doing!?"

"I'm going to send her a text message."

"But what are you going to say? Soul Society keeps very detailed records of mobile conversations! If you mention the party it'll be really easy for them to get us in trouble!"

"Don't worry, I have an idea."

* * *

Atsumi raised her plastic cup of watery beer and screamed out the lyrics of a song being blared out overhead. She began to grind with an attractive Shinigami in training behind her. Beer was being spilled, the music was pounding, and all the sweaty bodied party goers made the floor bend from all their dancing.

Atsumi, as drunk as she was, felt her phone vibrate and she looked down. 'Tashi? That party pooper!' She read a message that said 'Leave your study group. NOW!' "Whaaaaat? Sheez crazy." Atsumi stumbled through a smoky hallway and past the kitchen full of dirty dishes. "Gaaaah, You men are pigs!" she teased to a couple of guys in the kitchen. Atsumi walked out onto the back porch and called up Tashi.

"What the fucks up bitch hahaaaaaah!" said ATsumi.

Tashi immediately said "Listen up Atsumi, you know…big brother is listening! If something goes down they'll be searching for all of you!"

"Party poooober. HHAHAHA! I said poooBER instead of poooper. HAHAHA."

"You need to come home" said Tashi sternly.

"No, you need to come _study_ with us!" said Atsumi.

Tetsuo followed Atsumi outside to have a cigarette and laughed at his drunk friend.

* * *

Suddenly Tashi found she was speaking with Tetsuo. "Tashi Tashi Tashi. How's it going? Why aren't you here?"

"Word on the street is that it is better to study at home tonight" said Tashi.

Tetsuo thought it strange that Tashi was being so serious and that she was trying to find Atsumi. 'What is she saying? On the street?' The line was silent a few moments and it clicked in Tetsuo's head. "Oh shit!"

"Yeah. Eri heard. Get Atsumi out of there."

"She's really…she's not in any shape to get home on her own. She's feeling kind of poorly."

"Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?" said Atsumi in the background.

"We'll meet up with you! Maybe we can finish our study session at the coffee shop or something?" said Tashi.

"Uh, yeah!" said Tetsuo.

* * *

Tashi then dug through her desk drawer again. She pulled out a flashlight and put it in her wide sleeve. She grabbed Eri by the arm and they ran out the door. Eri said "Where are we going?"

The two stopped and Tashi said "Oh geez. I don't even know! You lead the way!" Eri took Tashi's flashlight and they two girls ran off into the night.

The girls ran down the dark street and found themselves in front of the local coffee shop under a street lamp. "Where are they?" asked Tashi.

"You know how difficult Atsumi can be. She probably doesn't want to leave" said Eri.

"Where's the party?" asked Tashi.

"Tashi?" asked Eri.

"At Tetsuo's house, right?"

"Tashi? You're not—"

"Give me that flashlight! I'm going to get her" said Tashi.

"TASHI!" Eri grabbed Tashi's arm. "At least go the back way." Tashi nodded and ran off through the woods.

Eri waited at the coffee shop in case Tetsuo and Atsumi found their way.

'What am I doing? What am I doing? What am I DOING?' Tashi stopped in a clearing in the woods. She knew what direction she had to move, but she was afraid. 'What if I get caught? What if I don't get there in time?' "No time to waste then!" Tashi ran off and knew she was almost there when she heard the music.

She also heard Tetsuo trying to shush Atsumi. "Atsumi! We're out, now shut up! We've got to get to your friends!"

There were young students filtering through the trees. All the movement was eerily silent to Tashi who stood in the clearing on her own, her fellow students running past into the night. "Tashi!" wrasped Atsumi.

"Here!" She whispered loudly in return.

"What're you doin' here!?" whispered Atsumi.

"Eri and I were worried. I had to come get you! Let's go!" explained Tashi.

"See ya guys!" said Tetsuo.

"Tetsuo, come with us!" said Tashi.

"I've got to clean up!" he said. "If the officials get there and find the evidene of the party I'm screwed!" He pushed Atsumi into Tashi's arms and nodded "I'm Tetsuo, by the way."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Tashi." Tashi bowed.

Tetsuo laughed quietly at the girl who took the time to bow as his panicked classmates flew past here. "Yeah yeah."

Tashi dragged Atsumi through the woods then heard some voices behind them. 'They're older. They're not students!' Tashi could feel their power. 'IT'S THE SHINIGAMI! WE'RE GOING TO GET CAUGHT!' Tashi stopped realizing she couldn't out run them. "Atsumi…hold on to me!" She was looking for a place to hide, but knew the men following them could easily find them.

She began to move forward again and found she could feel a new power somewhere deep within her. 'Or is it just fear?' Tashi stopped and looked up at the slender trees overhead. 'Maybe…' "Atsumi, pretend to disappear."

"What? Why?"

"Because we're going to."

* * *

A few of the Campus Shinigami Squad members bounded through the woods. They stopped and one said to the other. "I could have sworn there were a few people here…"

A second appeared at his side and looked up. The breeze blew through the trees and the first Shinigami said "Haha, don't bother. They were a group of first years, weren't they? There's no way they could jump like that yet. Advanced Flash step isn't until the third year. If they could hide up there, they're probably old enough to party like that anyway. Come on. Let's round up who we can and see if there's any evidence at the house."

The few Shinigami laughed at the situation and sped away into the night. Perched high high up in the tree, Atsumi held onto Tashi who had a strong grip on the slender trunk. The trunk bent under their weight. Atsumi held onto Tashi a little tighter and said "You're fucking crazy, you know that! You're fucking crazy!"

* * *

The two girls emerged onto the road from the woods. Atsumi had sobered up and didn't know what to say to Tashi. They saw Eri and surprisingly Tetsuo standing in front of the coffee shop. The four met and silently looked at each other. They all felt something had changed between them. Something larger than their original friendliness was forged that night.

"Why, guys? Why did you come after me?" asked Atsumi.

Eri and Tashi shrugged.

Atsumi sputtered "But you…" she pointed at Tashi "you had so much to lose." Atsumi began to laugh. "Tashi, you're fucking crazy. You're the fucking craziest one of us all."

They went into the coffee shop and sat down. Tetsuo explained that his roommates in the house had simply taken large brooms and pushed all the garbage into trap doors in the floor. They poured buckets of soap and water onto the party room floor and pushed the excess water into the trap doors as well. They opened the windows upstairs and turned on some fans to try and air out the smoke before the Shinigami got there.

Their plans worked well enough since the trap doors were hidden from view. Tetsuo and his friends made it out that night but were now under suspicion by the powers that be. Tetsuo said "Eh, it's no big deal. My older brother made it out alive I should be fine if I take his advice."

Eri said "I hope you're right Tetsuo. We've got several more years of this to get through."


	4. Tashi's Plea

Chapter 3 Tashi's Plea

Tashi went to the 6th squad's temporary office in the administrative wing of the school. When she entered she saw Captain Kuchiki signing a document at an ordinary desk in front of her. His Vice-Captain closed the door behind her and Tashi realized she didn't even know he was there. They nodded to each other and Tashi stepped forward.

As was her people's custom when in the presence of someone higher status than themselves, she gracefully got down on her knees and bowed. She did her best to keep her posture feminine and correct in order to make the impression that she had been raised by 'decent' people.

It was a long quiet moment before the Captain spoke. He finished signing his documents and put down his pen. Renji leaned up against the opposite wall, bent his knee, and crossed his arms. He was curious about this etiquette as he had seen none of it growing up himself and it wasn't common place among the military.

The Captain then asked "What brings you here?" He waited, testing her etiquette. When she said nothing he told her "You may speak."

"Thank you, sire." Without raising her head she said "Sire, I hate to bother you with the petty concerns of a mere student, however, my concern is for my family not myself."

"Who is your family?" he asked.

"My family is this Touichi clan, from the western districts of Soul Society, sire."

"I am familiar with the name, but please refresh my memory."

Tashi was relieved. She said, still bowing "My father was General Kutou Touichi, sire. He fought in the fall raids of the 28th Hollow attacks. My mother is Kisa Touichi, daughter of Bontai and Desiree Kuchiki."

'Shit!' thought Renji. 'This twirpy girl is nobility? High up there too if she's got Kuchiki blood. Then again she does have the spirit power of a noble…'

"So we are relatives. I am not familiar with Bontai nor Desiree."

"They are distant relatives, related by marriage, not blood, sire" said Tashi "I would suspect you would have no reason to know them."

"State your concerns" said the Captain flatly.

"It's my brother, sire. He's very ill." Tashi realized she had to say this quickly as she felt she was wasting his time with her sob story. "My parents raised me as a properly as they could to be a suitable wife and mother for an appropriate husband. Then my elder brother became very ill and will most likely not recover. They then looked to me to carry on my father's legacy. Becoming a Shinigami was the only way I thought I could develop the power I need to help my people, and have my family retain their honor."

Renji noticed her hands trembling ever so slightly. He saw his captain turned away and looked out the window, his thoughts a mystery.

Tashi continued "What you witnessed this afternoon, sire, is—"

"Of no concern to me" said the Captain flatly.

Tashi couldn't believe that she was being refused the opportunity to explain in such a flat out manner. "Sire, please let me explain—"

"What happens between you and the other Captains is of no concern to me."

"Sire, I need your help! That captain has -"

"Do not make me repeat myself" said Kuchiki-sama with finality.

'I can't believe…he abandoned me!' thought Tashi.

Renji thought the Captain was a little harsh, and didn't understand his methods. He motioned to say something in the girl's defense, but when she sat up and walked out of the room he knew there was nothing he could say. He didn't understand their world, and didn't know what to do.

After she left Kuchiki-sama gazed out the window "Renji, she does not need our help." His sad eyes then leaned towards his Vice-Captain and he said "But she doesn't realize that yet."

Renji knew better than to question his captain outloud, but it didn't stop the questions from running through his mind. He wasn't sure what that Tashi girl wanted, but he would help her if he saw the opportunity. "Yes, sir."

"I sense she will be worth keeping tabs on. I will include her in my report to Captain Yamamoto."

* * *


	5. Nutcracker

Chapter 4 Nutcracker

After the break Tashi was to report to a training room for sword practice. Again, the officers were there, but this time the Captain in charge took an interest in aiding their instruction for the day. When Tashi arrived Eri and Tetsuo walked over to greet her. She looked down trodden and when Eri asked how things went with Kuchiki she shook her head.

Eri said "I can't believe he wouldn't help you."

"He didn't even let me explain" said Tashi. 'They're probably laughing at me right now.' Tashi imagined Kuchiki-sama and his vice captain getting a good laugh out of the young girl who thought she might be worth their time. They would slap each other's backs and point at each other congratulating themselves on their significance to the order of the universe. Tashi admitted to herself that it was a bit exaggerated, but she couldn't deny feeling foolish.

"I don't get you. How could you be so loyal to that guy, for no reason?" asked Tetsuo.

"You couldn't understand" said Tashi.

Tetsuo raised his arms and bent them behind his head and said "I'm glad sometimes, that I was not raised in a noble. You guys make no sense" said Tetsuo. "Hey cheer up, it looks like your brother's friend, Yukimaru, is your sparring partner for today. At least you know he'll go easy on you." Tetsuo teased her a bit by doing a curtsy. "It just wouldn't be right to take a sword to a lady of the courts."

Tashi half smiled and heard a familiar laugh again. "Hahahaa. I can't seem to help bumpin' into you today" smiled Ichimaru.

Tashi felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up and nodded to the 3rd squad Captain. She backed away and ran off to spar with Yukimaru. As she picked up her wooden sword she saw Renji Abarai enter the room. He greeted the Captains and made brief eye contact with Tashi.

'Urgh! I hope Kuchiki-sama doesn't show up. It's bad enough Abarai has come to laugh at me. They're all so power obsessed and self centered! I can just hear them now… _Hahaha, there's that girl who's so weak she had to ask us for help. Ha ha._ I can't believe I have to do this on my own! Just being here is scary enough, away from my family and all those who protect me!'

The students sat down and listened to the 11th squad Captain Kenpachi Zaraki talk about sword fighting. He mostly discussed how much he liked to do it, and a little bit about technique. Renji leaned up against the wall occasionally throwing a glance Tashi's way. Eri noticed and whispered in Tashi's ear "He keeps looking at you!"

The girls smiled and Tashi whispered back "Maybe he's here to laugh at me, but at least he's a hottie! I don't think I mind so much" then she winked at Eri and found the tip of a jagged sword in her face.

Captain Zaraki said in his gravelly voice "What are you girls giggling about? Are you talking about a sword fight?"

"Huh?" said Tashi almost comically. She was afraid the blade would be slicing through her head. As she had been trained to, she immediately bowed, her head avoiding the blade, and said "I'm very sorry, Captain. My apologies for the interruption."

"Don't apologize. I hate apologies. They are excuses **not** to fight" said the grizzly captain.

'Oh my gods. One by one I'm pissing off the captains. I really am screwed.' "I'm sorry, Captain, but that was how I was raised. I am only trying to be polite."

"Politeness is crap during battle. Sit up, and stop saying you're sorry" ordered the captain. Tashi sat up. "Why did you do that?" he asked.

"I'm sorry? You told me to Captain."

"Quit apologizing! Why do you do what I tell you?"

"Because you're a captain and I'm a mere student."

"Hmmmmm. Or is it you are afraid of me?"

"That too" she admitted quickly. This made the class laugh.

It also gave a glimpse of what Kuchiki had told Renji. The Vice-Captain realized what his superior had told him was true. The girl was powerful, as were most royals, only she didn't realize it. She was raised not to use her power. She had been raised to be sorry, for everything. She had not been raised to fight if necessary. She lived her life apologetically; even when she was in the right. Since Renji first encountered the girl she had apologized for being taunted by Ichimaru, apologized for decimating her target at kidou practice, and now she was apologizing for apologizing. 'Shit, this is ridiculous' he thought.

"Who is your partner?" asked Zaraki.

"Yukimaru-sama" said Tashi, with her head slightly bowed.

"Sama, eh? Hmf. Go. Let me see you two fight" said Zaraki.

Tashi got up and walked to the center of the floor with Yukimaru. She held the sword lamely, as she had never held a weapon before. She looked down at the wooden sword and heard her mother's voice _"It's just not becoming of a young lady to be stronger than her husband. The last thing she should do is lift up a weapon. Good gods, can you imagine? A royal wife with calluses on her hands from a sword!" _

Zaraki growled as he watched Yukimaru pick up the sword. He saw the differences in skill immediately. Zaraki leaned against the wall between Ichimaru and Renji then muttered "This will be no good" Ichimaru laughed and Zaraki rolled at his eyes at the third squad captain. "I don't get you."

Renji stalked out to the middle of the floor and wrapped his arms around Tashi's arms to show her how to hold the sword properly. She blushed at his closeness but tried to focus on what he was teaching. Renji said nothing, but after adjusting her stance he stepped back and nodded his approval at her.

'How humiliating! Yukimaru is so much more prepared! The class is thinking I'm no good…' She heard Ichimaru laugh and it began an angry circle of thoughts and her hands again began to shake. She had to take deeper breaths to keep her calm. 'I don't belong here and they all know it! Abarai thought I was that helpless! Ichimaru is laughing at me, Kuchiki-sama just blew me off! I'm alone out here! I'm alone! Kuchiki-sama abandoned me! How dare he! After my father sacrificed his right leg so my brother and I could continue to serve the Kuchiki family he just—'

Zaraki called for the beginning of the match and though Tashi's thoughts were interrupted, her feelings weren't. Her anger poured out of her and she dove for Yukimaru, aggressively grunting and swiping with a stronger arm than she realized she had. She screamed as she swiped again and again and again and again, not giving Yukimaru a chance to recoup. He was taking steps back not understanding where Tashi's power came from. He looked in her eyes and saw they were clouded over by a golden light. She grunted and with each swipe, cutting the air with a whistle.

Zaraki laughed out loud at the unexpected even match. "This is better than I thought!" Ichimaru smirked knowingly and Renji's relaxed stance turned tenser as he eagerly watched for the outcome.

Yukimaru yelped "This is only practice, Tashi, what the hell?!"

Renji smirked thinking back to his days as a student.

Tashi kept thinking 'How could my lord abandon me!' Swipe Swipe swipe. She jabbed and jabbed, fast and furious. Yukimaru found his back against the wall and flinched as her sword clacked against his. She pushed and got close to him and said "What's the point of practice, if you don't take it seriously! You'll never be ready for the real thing!"

Renji chuckled to himself having said something similar.

Yukimaru pushed her off and she slid backwards along the floor. Once she stopped she came at him again. Their blades clacked and clacked and the other students were entranced wondering who would win. She heard a high pitched chuckle from Ichimaru and thought 'None of them! None of them understand my family is in danger! None of them even care!' With that thought the power of her swipe knocked the sword from one of Yukimaru's hands and left him wide open. She jabbed him in the belly, knocking him off his feet and soliciting a gasp from the regular school instructor and her fellow students.

When she snapped out of her anger she dropped her sword and ran to Yukimaru's side "I'm so sorry Yuki! I'm so sorry. I don't know what I –"

The regular instructor turned to her and said "There's no need for such an attack Tashi."

Tashi didn't know what to say then her attention was caught by Yukimaru's swearing as they removed the top part of his gi to check his injury. There was a large bruise where she had jabbed him "Oh my gods! Yuki, I'm so sorry!" 'This is going to get back to my parents! I know it! The fact that I did this will be such a shame to my mother! "How could I do such a thing? What is wrong with me?" she said. "I'm so sorry—"

"STOP apololgizing!" snapped Zaraki and he approached the group around Yukimaru. Tashi bowed her head to the ground. His command to stop seemed to shake the building and all the students ducked, hiding their heads under their hands. "You beat your opponent!" he hollered. "That is the point! Don't be so shocked. Enjoy your victory! He is the one who should be sorry. Not you! He lost!"

She peered up at him and said "I'm…sorry."

Before Zaraki completely lost his mind Renji stepped in and said "If you want to fight seriously then I will fight you."

Tashi's worry and concern were all over her face as she stared at the challenging tip of the wooden sword Renji pointed at her. She barely whispered "I'll pass."

Renji commanded "You don't have a choice."

She stood up and bowed. When she stood again she said "It's foolish to enter into a fight you know you cannot win."

"Ha! What if it's your only option?" asked Renji with a roguish smile.

Tashi saw what he was saying and said "I guess I will die."

"Just standing there? Won't you even try?" he pushed waving his sword at her.

"I guess…I guess I would try, but…"

"But what. If it's your only option, you have no other choice than to pick up a sword and try" said the Vice Captain.

Tashi reluctantly picked up her sword and held it the way she had been shown. She tried to be more determined, but there was something holding her back. He came at her with a basic swipe and she blocked it. He put a little extra pressure on her and she was slowly being pressed down towards the ground.

Tashi's foot slipped and she landed on her back. Renji stood over her pressing the sword a little more and a little more. He was not nearly using his full strength as it was not necessary. His face was serious, not letting anything distract him. He bent over putting his face a little closer and said "What would you do if I were serious? What would your war-hero father do?"

Tashi was shocked he would say that to her and re-angled her sword so the pressure he applied actually caused him to slide forward. Before he knew it he was falling forward and taking a wooden katana to the crotch.

The room gasped as Renji yelped, then he slowly fell over on his side. His hands were at his groin and he was gasping from the unexpected pain. Tashi stood up and again dropped her katana. Her classmates were stunned and no one was sure of how to handle this. One of the students ran to the infirmary to get a nurse. Tashi could barely use her voice and the little breath she could gather she said "I'm…sorry…" She looked at Renji's contorted face and ran out of the room.

The nurse came and Renji blushed as all the students stared at him. He whispered to the nurse "The hit missed my junk, but it's still painful." The hardened Vice-Captain scanned the crowd, but didn't see Tashi. He then saw the girl Tashi had been whispering with run out of the room.

Tashi covered her face in humiliation and ran to an empty classroom. She ran down a few steps and hid under a desk. She cried to herself in the dark for nearly an hour. After the tears stopped she thought about her parents. She recalled her father from his wheel chair explaining that her brother was very ill.

_"He's always been sick, father, he'll pull through, he always does" said Tashi, optimistically. _

_Her optimism normally made her father smile, but this time it caused him a pained face. He told her "This time is different. The doctor said your brother will die." _

_"No, how?!" said Tashi. "This is…who will be lord, father? Who will be lord over your lands? Who will support Kuchiki-sama?!" _

_"It must be you, Tashi" he said seriously. _

_"Oh, father I could never—" _

_Then her mother entered the room. " Kutou what are you telling her! Tashi, don't listen to him. All you have to do is marry and your husband and he can take care of it." _

_"Woman! I don't want my lands in the hands of someone else! My grandfather fought hard to get these lands under his control, my father fought to build the administration, and I did my best to build a relationship with the nobles. I need someone of my own blood to maintain it and I refuse to hand it off to some uppity inbred kid who's never even seen a hollow before!" _

_Tashi's mother then argued "Why I never! To suggest that our daughter, after all the trouble I went through to raise her as a proper lady of the court, is going to" she gestured wildly "…to…fight!? That's ridiculous! I will not have our delicate flower exposed to such horrors!" _

"I'm sorry, mother, father, I don't mean to be the cause of so much trouble. I, I want to help our family! Not disgrace them…" she said, back in the present. 'I entered this academy for my parents. I told my father I would do so for the honor of our family, and to serve Kuchiki-sama, and I told my mother it was so I would find an appropriate and powerful husband. What am I going to do? I can't please either of them now! I've angered the Captains, and no man would want a girl like me! Wacking Vice-Captains in the crotch!' Tashi's tears began to flow again. She hugged her legs and buried her face in her knees.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Renji stood with some help from the fourth squad nurse and limped to the door. He was taken to the infirmary and given ice to prevent any swelling. A male healer came in and used kidou to reduce the bruising. The nurse said "You were lucky Vice-Captain. An inch to the left and she would've really hurt your—" 

"YES! I am aware" said Renji looking away with embarrassment. 'Captain Kuchiki saw it in her. Now we have to figure out how to get her to see it.' Renji put his pride aside for a moment and recalled the guilt she felt for bruising the Yukimaru kid. "Hmf" he almost laughed. 'I'm the one who's laid up with an embarrassing injury to report to my Captain and she's probably ready to slit her stomach open with guilt. That girl is ridiculous.'

-------------------------------------------------------------------  
Tashi calmed her tears again and noted the sun had gone down. She also felt she was not alone. She looked up and couldn't believe who found her. Captain Zaraki stood looking down at her and said calmly "What are you crying for, you won."

A young girl was perched on his shoulder said "Ken-chan! She hurt her friend. That doesn't feel good."

"Abarai isn't her friend. He was her opponent and forced her to fight. He got what he deserved."

"Ken-chan! That's not who I'm talking about" peeped the little girl.

Tashi couldn't believe her eyes. The confusion twisted her face at the humorous dialogue between the two comically different officers. As they argued she realized the captain wasn't there to antagonize her, but to make her feel the pride of what she had accomplished. 'I beat a Vice-Captain!'

The girl and her pink bob said "Ken-chan, the blond guy. The nice one who got the bruise on his tummy, not Renji-kun!"

"Oh, yeah. Mm." Kenpachi then looked down at the girl and said "You should enjoy your victory. Don't be concerned with the injuries of those who attack you." He turned away and laughed as he walked up the steps. He looked back over his shoulder at her and said "After today I don't think any of your fellow students will be so foolish as to provoke you." He continued to laugh as he climbed the steps. When he got to the top he turned around and called out into the dark "Maybe someday you'll get good enough for me to fight! HA HAAAA!"

The idea made Tashi's bones quake, but she realized that's why she was there. This is what her father needed from her and she couldn't be sorry for doing it. On the way out Tashi heard the little girl on Zaraki's shoulder say "Bye bye Nutcracker!"

Tashi looked up and saw the little girl waving at her and waved back. 'Nutcracker?'


	6. A Walk Home

Chapter 5 A Walk Home

Renji got off the table and dressed himself. He walked slowly trying to go easy on the groin muscle Tashi whacked. He picked up his hair tie and heard a tiny knock on the door frame. He looked up and saw a very sheepish Tashi. "Hi" she said, in a tiny mousy voice. "I want to apologize—"

"Quit apologizing!" he snapped. "I won't accept."

"I want to say I'm sorry for using such a dirty tactic!" she said, desparately.

He pulled up his long hair and tied it back with a band. He looked at her then away again. He picked up a piece of cloth and lined it up on his forehead. He said "When you have no other choice, you do what you have to."

"Yeah, but I'm sure I could have done something else" said Tashi, trying to make an excuse to apologize.

"Not at the time. It was actually clever." He turned around after tying his bandana and walked towards her. He walked slowly and she felt guilty. She didn't ask how it was clever and Renji assumed it was because she felt bad over her victory and didn't want to see the good that came out of it. He continued "You saw you couldn't over power me so you used my own strength against me." 

"Oh…I should have hit your leg or something" she said trying to deflect the achievement.

Renji chuckled and said "You are a piece of work. You take down a Vice-Captain and don't want to take credit?" He looked at her and saw she couldn't even look back at him. 'What kind of fucked up system were you raised in anyway?' He tried to lighten the mood a bit. "And not just _any_ Vice-Captain. Me! Renji Abarai!" He saw her smile a bit and thought maybe he was getting through to her. "I'm sure your father would be proud" he said more seriously.

"Perhaps, but my mother…" Tashi shook her head. "My mother would be horrified. Will be horrified when she hears."

"Huh? Why?" asked Renji, unfamiliar with the years of training of complicated etiquette that was embodied in the young woman who walked at his side.

"Because she believes I should find someone to marry to take care of my father's lands for me. Proper young ladies should never weild a weapon nor be more powerful than their husbands."

"You've got strong reiatsu, that'll be tough. And your old man?"

She shot him an angry look and said "Don't call my father that! He's a hero and a good man. He wants me to be strong and to learn to fight and be like him. But my mother said no suitable man would want a girl who would fight like that."

Renji saw the conflict that tore at this young woman and didn't see the purpose. He said "Why not just do what **you** want? What do you care what your parents want?"

Tashi and Renji walked out into the cool night air and she was shocked at what he said. He held the door for her and she walked out in front of him. "How could you say something like that? They took care of me for years when I couldn't take care of myself! They gave me the most basic needs to survive and more! I owe them EVERYTHING! Food, shelter, fine clothing, education, the list goes on!"

Renji thought back and could barely remember his parents. All he could remember was being afraid of his father. He couldn't recall their faces. He ran away from the horrors of home very young. He realized again that he couldn't understand the way she was raised, but saw why she felt that way. "I see. Sorry."

As they walked Renji felt better and was able to walk at a normal pace. Tashi was glad she didn't hurt him too bad. They soon were walking through the streets of Soul Society and Tashi said "Oh, that's my house!"

"You have a house?"

"Yes, I rent it along with two other students."

Renji remembered the house and the number. Tashi bowed and said "Thank you Vice-Captain Abarai, for walking me home."

"Sure" he said casually.

Tashi smiled at his comfortable style and she entered her house feeling relieved.

------------------------------------------------------------------ 


	7. Royal Visit

Chapter 6 Royal Visit

Atsumi, Eri and Tashi had finished their first eventful week at the Spiritual Technique Institute and expected a quiet evening alone. The rest of the week went more quietly and the three young women felt more relaxed.

On the last evening of the week Eri and Tashi had a simple dinner together and were finishing up their dishes joking around and laughing to try and dispel Tashi's anxieties over the events which occurred earlier in the week. Tashi still felt uneasy and was trying to shake it off. Eri didn't want her friend to be expelled or disciplined for insubordination either. "Pushing Captains, injuring Vice Captains, sheesh Tashi, put it that way and yeah it looks pretty grim. If they do ask you to leave they're crazy."

"Hm?"

"You're way strong" said Eri.

"I don't think that's enough, Eri"

Eri started laughing and said "Hahahha, I can just see it now. They'll call you into a meeting to tell you you're getting special treatment because of your power. And they'll all be standing around covering their crotches or wearing cups or something! HAhahaha"

"Hahaha" Tashi laughed realizing her fears were probably baseless. "You're crazy" giggled Tashi and the door bell rang.

They were both surprised at a visitor at that time in the evening. Tashi held on to the towel in her hand and wiped her hands as she walked. She called over her shoulder saying "I bet Atsumi is too drunk to use her key!" The girls laughed again and Tashi opened the door. She immediately gasped at who stood in her doorway.

She dropped her towel and said "Captain Kuchiki!" then she noticed the wild red haired man next to him "Vice-Captain Abarai!"

Eri came up behind Tashi and stopped her laughing. Tashi noticed her rudeness and invited them in. She found the best floor cushions she had but still felt they were inadequate for such esteemed guests.

Tashi made sure they were comfortable and rushed to the kitchen to make some tea leaving a very very nervous Eri behind to entertain them. Byakuya-sama sat saying nothing and Renji could feel Eri's discomfort. The Vice-Captain said "So, have you given thought to what squad you might favor if the opportunity arose?"

Eri knew it wasn't their squad and wasn't sure how to answer politely. She felt the steely eyes of Byakuya on her and was relieved when she heard Tashi ask for her help in the kitchen. "Excuse me!" she bowed and ran out of the room.

Byakuya smiled very slightly and closed his eyes. "Hmf"

"Eh?" said Renji, confused by his reaction. He also understood the girl's nervousness around Byakuya. Aside from him being a Captain he was a handsome and powerful head of a royal family. On top of his enormous fame, he was a man of few words.

Eri joined Tashi in the kitchen and whispered "What the hell are they doing here?" She was excited but anxious all at once. She then noticed Tashi's anxiousness. Tashi was hysterically searching the cabinets over the counter for a special box of tea she had been saving for a special occasion. "Tashi? Tashi? I know we should make a good impression, but don't get yourself so upset"

"You don't understand Eri! It's over. It's all over. It's back to my parent's home for me! The shame of it all! Harakiri! That's it! I'll just slit my belly and end it all!" Tashi's shaking hands reached deep into an empty cabinet and she stopped. She hid her tears in her arm and slowly got off the counter. She then recounted the words that Captain Kuchiki told her about not being aggressive with superiors and expulsion. "Maybe after what I did do Vice Captain Abarai and maybe Ichimaru told them what I said to him! I'm going to be expelled! What am I going to tell my parents!"

Eri then became more serious. 'Tashi has a point. It is possible that's why there here. The Gotei 13 does run on a very strict system of hierarchical power.' There was nothing Eri could say to change the situation, but she said "Then I guess they're here to see you?"

Tashi nodded, having come to the same conclusion.

Eri said "Okay, I'll go find something to talk about with them. Use my tea. I think Atsumi drank your tea the other night.

"What! That—"

"_That_" interrupted Eri "is the last thing that should be on your mind. I'll go into the living room and speak with them until you are ready."

Eri was walking away and Tashi called after her "No!" She grabbed Eri's sleeve and said "I'll go. They've come to speak with me after all." Eri agreed to finish up the snacks and make the tea.

Tashi took a deep breath and went into the living room. She smiled at her visitors and sat up straight on her folded legs. She asked, reluctantly, "To what do I owe the honor of your visit to, gentlemen?"

Tashi noticed the Captain Kuchiki's mere glance towards his subordinate who said with seriousness "Earlier in the week…" Then Tashi was taken aback when she saw the legendary Vice Captain Abarai fidget a little. Her heart was pounding at the anticipation of his next words.

She thought 'This is it. I'm done. They've come to tell me to pack up my things and leave. Why is he having such a hard time? He's Renji! Freakin' Renji Aburai! I'm a peon!' She thought about looking up at him when he walked her home and his profile in the moonlight.

When it was obvious the Vice-Captain was just going to stutter his way through to the end Captain Kuchiki said "We have come to follow up on your progress with Captain Ichimaru. You expressed discomfort earlier in the week."

"Yeah" said the Vice Captain.

Eri entered with a plate of food and rested it on the table. She looked at Tashi who seemed slack jawed with shock. 'I guess they told her.'

Tashi was speechless. Then sputtered "I-I-I'm fine. I haven't seen him all week."

Eri waited a moment and when she saw Tashi smile she said "I'll bring the tea out" and left for the kitchen.

Tashi bowed, and the Captain took note of how perfectly she rested her fingers up on the floor; genteel and poised. He had missed it the other day because he had been seated behind a desk. Abarai felt uncomfortable with such formalities and smiled nervously when Tashi said "Thank you for your concern, but such important men shouldn't waste their thoughts on me."

Byakuya Kuchiki's mysterious eyes looked to the door first. Then everyone else heard it too.

Tashi began to panic when she heard Atsumi singing at the top of her lungs. Tashi bolted upright, knowing that a typhoon of destruction and bad manners was headed their way. It was getting louder and louder and soon it would be there. Atsumi burst in the door singing and laughing and making a general racket. She knocked over the coat rack when she put her bag on it and stumbled into the living room knocking over a tiny vase.

She saw the two officers and couldn't believe what was happening. Tashi swallowed hard and thought about what she could do to smooth things over. The last thing she wanted was Atsumi and her drunkenness to bother their esteemed guests…especially Kuchiki-sama.

Abarai spoke before Tashi could excuse the rudeness of her friend "Hey! Where's the party?"

Atsumi laughed, obviously intoxicated and said "It's wherever I am! So right now the party is right here!" Atsumi pulled a bottle of sake seemingly out of nowhere and said "So let's start!"

Tashi was afraid that her good fortune was about to be reversed. 'Does she not see that—'

"He-ey! You're the 6th squad guys, right?" said Atsumi as she poured Kuchiki and Abarai some drinks.

"Yeah, that's us." said the Vice Captain enjoying the less formal atmosphere and the free sake. Eri came in from the kitchen with the tea and had heard Atsumi come in the door.

"Hi Eri! Go call Tetsuo and our party would be complete!" slurred Atsumi. Atsumi poured Eri a cup of sake and another for herself.

Tashi was embarrassed by Atsumi's behavior and couldn't help exclaim "What!?"

Tashi was sorry she did when Atsumi turned and winked at her. "You know. Three guys, three girls! It would be even and more fun. No one would go home alone! HAhahaha!"

Tashi was mortified. 'How could Atsumi be so foolish! How could she even imply – in Byakuya's presence no less – that …that…THAT!' Abarai laughed and broke Tashi's nightmarish circle of thoughts.

When Eri heard Vice Captain's laugh she smiled and felt a bit relieved. Then she said "You know, Atsumi, maybe you're right. I'll go call Tetsuo."

Tashi let out a nervous laugh "He…heh…" but her worried eyes caught the attention of only one person there. Atsumi knelt down next to where the Vice Captain was sitting and poured him another drink.

"Tashi Touichi, you haven't even finished your first cup!" yelled Atsumi.

Tashi wasn't known to hold her liqueur well, and didn't want to get drunk in front of her superiors. Tashi sighed and then smiled. She said to Atsumi "You know I never fold under peer pressure." She stood gracefully and picked up the empty snack tray. She then said "I'll get you more to eat, gentlemen. You'll need it before Atsumi is through with you."

Then Tetsuo, came over and started to tease Tashi relentlessly. He too came from a party and was not sober. "Heeeeeey!" said the black haired boy. "Tashi, Tashi, Tashi. No drinks tonight? C'mon! It's time to celebrate! Don't be such a prude."

Tashi tried to ignore him, but he was persistent.

"We've got some important guests, Tashiiiii. Isn't the Kuchiki family the one your people worship? Haha, this must be weird for you, eh? Your overloard is in your living room! Hahahahaha! I think your king would like to have a dancing girl for the night!" he then playfully shoved Tashi in Byakuya's direction. Her feet fumbled, but she did not fall. Atsumi and Tetsuo laughed, but the other's felt they took the joking a bit too far by roping in Kuchiki-sama who didn't react at all.

Just as Renji was about to tell Tetsuo to put a sock in it , Tashi up and ran out the front door. She stood on her porch uncomfortable and unsure of what this was going to accomplish. She took another step forward thinking about the first time she saw Byakuya Kuchiki.

She was a little girl, one of many people who lined the streets that day. The Kuchiki family was holding a procession for the new head of the family. Byakuya's father had passed away after a very long reign and now Byakuya was going to the temple for his coronation.

Tashi remembered looking up at him as he was carried past on the palanquin. Tashi was allowed to walk down closer to the procession with her personal servant keeping the sun off of her with a paper parasol. She was a very little girl and the violet chrysanthymum her mother asked her to wear seemed enormous to her.

Byakuya appeared like a true god draped in the ceremonial garb of his family and his unbound hair flowed gently on the warm breeze. The Kuchiki family watched over the people within Tashi's lands for generations. Prince Byakuya had been rumored to be even more powerful than his father, however less charismatic.

Tashi couldn't imagine why people said that. She was enamored by the dark haired prince and his stoic demeanor. She scurried back to her mother and father who were seated, as nobility were supposed to be, in their own palanquins.

Her mother spoke to her and told her _"See the prince? Today he will go into that building and come out a true lord. Then he will reign over all the people who you see here today. That is why we cheer for him, because we want him to know he has our total support, respect, and faith. The Kuchiki family has always had a great deal of power. Their reiatsu is enormous and they have used that power throughout history to keep the peace of this realm. He deserves nothing less than your total loyalty."_

Tashi didn't need her mother to tell her. She knew she would follow him until her dying day. The procession ceased while the priests purified the path in front of the procession. Tashi stood next to the still palanquin while a servant held a parasol over her head and shielded her from the strong sun. Byakuya's eyes scanned the crowd that gathered for him. He looked over the crowd and Tashi swore he spared a glance at her.

Tashi thought he had left her alone, but he had come this evening to check on her. 'Maybe he didn't want me running to him for help every time something happened?' This visit confirmed her hopes that he did care about his subjects.

She stood remembering Kuchiki-sama draped in red silk, with determined eyes, protected by the shade of the palanquin. She compared him to the man presently sitting in her living room. His eyes seemed to carry more sorrow than she remembered.

"Hey, Touichi-san. Come back inside."

Tashi turned around and saw the Vice Captain calling her back. "Vice-Captain, I whoop!—"

Renji didn't let her finish her sentence and just grabbed her by the wrist and literally dragged her back towards the house. "Come on" he said. "Don't worry. That punk, Tetsuo won't be saying anything else that stupid tonight." He looked over his shoulder at her then back at their destination. "He isn't just your lord, he's my Captain."

"Uh…he's not so bad." When Tashi came back inside she saw Atsumi pouring Captain Kuchiki more sake.

The rest of the evening went by smoothly enough. Atsumi left for another party and invited everyone else along. Tetsuo convinced Eri to go and they tried to get the other three to leave with them.

Tashi declined, but encouraged her guests to join them if they pleased. They too declined, turning a blind eye to the blatant rule breaking of the evening and bade her a goodnight.


	8. Retest

Chapter 7 Retest

After the week of the Captains special attention, it was back to the regular classes for the students. After having met the Captains they realized how very far they had to go. Some weird knocked off their high horses, but others like Tashi, were given hope. After one of her lecture closes the professor called her over.

Tashi was afraid perhaps she had done something wrong during class. "Professor?" 'I shouldn't have answered all those questions! I should have let some other students answer.

"Yes, Tashi, after last week's performance I was told that a special request was put in for you to be re-tested."

"Huh?"

"A Captain thought you weren't placed in the correct level. It happens from time to time, but it seems the academy missed your talent."

"Wha?" 'A captain? Was it Kuchiki-sama?' "Oh dear! That means I have to take those tests again?"

The professor laughed and said "Yes Tashi, but don't worry there's no pressure. Just do your best. You don't have to be perfect you know."

Tashi felt her chin on her chest and thought 'Easy for him to say. If I don't do well it will reflect poorly on Kuchiki-sama for recommending me to be retested. _If_ he's the one who requested it that is.'

"The paper exam will be 1 week from today. The field practical will be the second day after that." The professor handed her a hand written study guide. "Here are some questions to help you study."

Tashi took them and thanked the professor.

"Oh don't thank me, thank the Captain. He asked that I come up with some questions that help you expand your knowledge of general Shinigami History and laws. "

Tashi thumbed through the book and looked over what she already knew. "Wow professor there's a lot here."

"Mmhm. Since it's a retest the chances are it will be more difficult."

"Thank you professor. I'll go and begin studying right away."

The professor laughed at the nervous apologetic girl as she gathered up her possessions and sped out of the classroom. Joy bubbled up in her stomach as well as her nerves. 'I've been give another chance!' Tashi stopped running when she got a severe cramp in her side. She crouched down on the ground and realized it could have been anyone who recommended her, but she had to thank whoever it was properly. She sat on the dusty ground and wondered who it was. 'Oh No! It could have have been Ichimaru! Or that crazy Zaraki guy! _Become stronger so I can cut you down!_ she heard him say in her mind. I hope it's Kuchiki-sama. It wouldn't hurt so much saying thank you to him.'

Her cramp faded and she continued on her way home. Eri, Atsumi and Tashi had dinner and Tashi told the girls about her retest. Atsumi stood from the table shaking what was on it and said "Lets celebrate! I'll go get the sake!"

Eri laughed at her friend and said "I think we'll hold the party _after_ the test."

"Hahaha, right right" agreed Atsumi settling down.

"Which reminds me" said Tashi standing "I've got to study. Let's get these dishes done."

Atsumi said "Don't worry about this week Tashi, I'll do your share. Go be a good girl and study."

"Atsumi! Thanks!"

"I'll help out with your other chores this week too" said Eri.

Tashi went back to her room and started on the study guide. She burned the midnight oil most of the week until both Eri and Atsumi forced her to sleep. Tashi would wake up early to study, worked extra diligently after her classes all week, then after class would hit the kidou training field. When the sun went down she would stay and an extra hour and practice in the dark. She would go home, eat and hit the books again. The week went by too quckly for Tashi and she wished she had more time.

The day of the exam had arrived and she sat in an empty auditorium with her proctor.

She completed her multiple choice and had a fifteen minute break before the essay portion of the test. She decided to put her head down on the desk and rest. 'I hope I am doing well. I think I know most of these, but maybe I'm wrong. Don't worry Kuchiki-sama, I'll do my best on these essays to uphold the honor of our domain.

Tashi took a few minutes to think over some main themes from her study questions then she began her essays. After the exam she walked home exhausted. It was a warm sunny day, as usual but she spent the remainder of it sleeping. When she woke up the next day she worried about the lost time and rushed to the kidou practice field (after Eri forced her to eat some breakfast) and tried to make up for lost time.

Eri brought Tashi a lunch box and had a picnic with her on the kidou field. "You know Tashi, you're definitely stronger than when you first arrived."

"You think?"

"Oh yeah!" Tashi looked at the targets she hit on the kidou field. "I guess you're right. It's not fair then that I get to take this test again, is it?"

"Tashi it's only been a week! Of course it's fair! What was it that woke up this power in you?"

Tashi finished chewing her sandwich and swallowed. She thought back and realized what it was. 'It was that Captain who ticked me off.' "It was the incident with Ichimaru."

Eri laughed and said "Maybe I should convince him to tease me , if that's all it takes! I wonder why he did it."

"Who knows."

Later, Tashi thanked Eri for the lunch and got back to work. Eri stuck around and watched her friend nail target after target. At the end of the day Atsumi showed up on the field and the three went home together. Tashi and her roommate ate a light dinner and Atsumi went out to party, she said, for luck for Tashi. The girls saw her off and Tashi went to sleep early.

She woke up before her alarm and sat up in her bed. She felt strangely distant from herself and dressed and ate a small breakfast in a fog. Tashi headed to the practice field early and sat quietly waiting for her proctors and judges to arrive. The sun had risen and it was another beautiful day. She watched as the maintenance crew set up a few targets. She ran over what it felt like to stand on the field in her mind and visualized lining up her hand with the target.

She didn't feel the initiative and couldn't muster as much power as she had hoped she could on demand. One of the judges motioned for her to come down from the bleachers where she was sitting and was welcomed to warm up on the field. As she took a few steps down she felt a large emptiness inside her and felt it was consuming her energy. 'No! Not now! Before, like during sword practice my loneliness was a source inspiration. No, it was my family…'

As Tashi thoughts trialed so did her reiatsu. 'Why now? I wish I weren't alone' Tashi made it to the grass and nearly burst into tears as she looked at the targets. Then from behind her she heard some familiar voices screaming her name. The small rabble was made up of a few familiar faces: Eri who had been up at breakfast with her, and Tetsuo and Atsumi who Tashi suspected were still drunk form the night before.

Tashi's tears dried up and she walked more confidently to the mark. She made a few warm up shots with minimal effort. They were fast and accurate, but not impressively large, it didn't matter that they weren't perfect, her friends hollered at the top of their lungs. The maintenance crew laughed, but the judges were not amused. The instructors stepped up to the three students and told them that during practice their behavior was allowed, but once the whistle blew they would have to cease, or leave.

Eri and Atsumi understood, but Tetsuo was planning on continuing. One of the officials present explained the rules. The task was simple. Tashi had to successfully complete 3 rounds of exercises. The results would be based on speed, accuracy and power. One of the officials, a likeable man with long white hair, playfully dangled the whistle on it's string to let her friends know it was their last chance to cheer on Tashi. They let out all the noise they could. Once he blew the whistle they ceased their screaming. Atsumi helped Tetsuo cease his screaming with a hand over his mouth.

Tashi then raised her hand looked at her target 'My friends are here! Making a racket for me!' She smiled to herself and fired. She assumed she discharged her anxiety with the blast. She fired off on that had moderate speed and power, taking out most of the bull's-eye.

She turned around surprised her friends weren't breaking the rules. She saw Eri & Atsumi sitting with broad smiles on their faces, and Tetsuo tied up with rope and duck tape over his mouth. He wriggled with irritation until he saw Tashi looking up. He then began to bounce excitedly trying to show his support. Tashi was a little confused over where they got the rope and tape, but didn't want to let it distract her. She shrugged it off and went to focus on her next target.

As she turned a flash of red hair caught her eye. Tashi could not believe it. She had another supporter. Vice Captain Abarai leaned casually against the railing of the bleachers with his arms crossed and foot resting on a pole. 'Oh my gods! I'm about a third of my way through this. I can't screw up now! He'll go back and tell Kuchiki-sama!' Tashi anxiously turned back to her target and fired off another kidou blast. This one was slower but larger. The next two were similar.

She watched as the exam moderators made notes on their clipboards. Tashi bit her lip in anxiety and found herself looking to the Vice Captain for reassurance. He gave her a sharp nod once and she felt somewhat relived.

Next she was asked to complete several different chants. Each one was longer and more complicated than the last. She completed it satisfactorily and found that the last phase of the exam was upon her.

It was a wild-card round. It could have been a variety of tasks, but Tashi did not know what to expect. The task which was chosen by a random method was to hit a moving target. Tashi said "But I've only practiced on stationary targets!" She felt she may have spoken out of turn and immediately said "Sorry.,"

The judge said nothing in response and Tashi stood on the mark. Vice Captain Abarai shifted his feet but kept his arms crossed. He couldn't hear what the officials were saying but surmised whatever it was didn't comfort the student. Tashi looked more nervous than before, but took her mark nevertheless.

The rules were that she needed to hit a target that moved across the lawn. Each time she hit the target it would speed up. Both she and the target had prescribed spaces on the field. She couldn't cross the boarder of the field, but could move up and down along the line.

One of the officials blew the whistle and then let the target loose. It was a ball of light the size of a soccer ball. With each successful hit the ball would speed up. At first it was an easy target which Tashi was capable of hitting. Soon enough the ball was darting erratically across the field. She made her shots but kept missing. She began to panic.

She wasn't sure she wanted to hit it anymore. 'It's tough enough to hit the target at this speed!'

She moved from her stationary spot and began to run up and down the field. She hit the target again after a few misses sending it into another pattern of erratic movements. She knew she couldn't hit the ball anymore so she tried to predict its movements and aim at the spots she thought it was going to move to. But there was no pattern 'There has got to be something governing its movements!'

The clock was ticking and the judges were concerned. Normally a student would fire off as much as they could and hope the odds would be in their favor for the last few seconds.

Tashi got down on one knee, aimed carefully. She shot one side of the target then the other and realized the target avoided areas where she had already blasted. 'Maybe it has some kind of sensor that picks up on residual reiatsu and avoids it!'

Tashi saw the official look at his watch and knew her time was running out. She fired off a line of shots along, right behind the speeding target. She then switched to shots in the path of the target. The ball's patter of movements so far told her it would move backwards. If her theory about it sensing residual reiatsu was correct this would give her a chance.

Her hunch was right on the money. The ball went to move backwards but stopped short of the blast mark in the grass and it was long enough for Tashi to nail it. The official blew the whistle and Tashi sighed feeling she did what she could. She glanced at Renji who appeared to stifle a cheer and looked up at her friend behind her who went while in the stands.

She bowed to the officials and when they dismissed her she bolted off to the bleachers and ran up to her friends. They tackled her on the bleachers and hooted and hollered for her.  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	9. Meeting Time

Chapter 8 Meeting Time

The same evening when Tashi took her exam the group had a small party, just the four of them. Tashi took the next day to recover and Monday found the other students took note of who she was to congratulate her. Tashi was embarrassed as she did not receive the results of her exam yet. They would tell her "Hey, we heard you kicked ass on your practical!"

She responded with "I'm sorry, but I can't say I did for sure. Thanks though!" That Friday the professor announced to the class that Tashi was moving out of their section to the advanced classes. Her cheeks burned bright red from embarrassment, but her teacher none the less called her down to the front of the room to take back her written exam. The class applauded her as she went back receive the documents and Tetsuo hollered "Yea Ta-Shiii!" When she accepted them she bowed very quickly to the class and ran swiftly back to her seat.

During the midday break she went outside with Eri and ate quietly in the shade of a nearby tree. There were some murmurs among the others students and Tashi tried to ignore it. Eri and she both assumed it was about Tashi's recent advancement. Not all the things said about her were good and Tashi was trying to ignore the negative comments.

Eri noticed what the murmuring was about first. Tashi looked up from her fruit salad at Eri who had stopped mid-chew. Tashi then heard "Excuse me, Ms Touichi?"

Tashi turned around and saw the blue-green eyes of the young Captain who had approached her on the kidou field. "Captain Hitstugaya?"

"Yes, Ms Touichi I've come to tell you something."

Tashi stood and bowed to the young Captain and to the voluptuous fair haired woman who accompanied him. Tashi stood up staring and asked "Sir? Yes, sir?"

"I wanted to tell you that you scored very high on the kidou practical and will be moved to a smaller, more advanced class."

"Captain!" exclaimed Tashi. She bowed again and said "Thank you sir! You shouldn't have bothered to waste your words on me!"

"On the contrary, it seems you were worth the effort" said the Captain seriously. "For a student who was so blatantly overlooked we should apologize."

Tashi still bowing said "Please, sir, don't." She stood up and said "I'm not the same person I was when I got here. I think if you tested other students you'd see they're more advanced too."

"True" he said "but not by so much. Whatever it was, something was released inside of you since you came here There is not just a bit of improvement due to the normal rigors of being a student, but a vast difference between you and your peers. Considering you have now only been here two weeks, this can only be explained as an oversight on the part of the academy."

Tashi didn't know what to say "Uhh…"

Hitsugaya said "Sorry to have interrupted your lunch Good day."

"Good day Captain" said both Eri and Tashi.

The fair haired woman stayed behind a moment and winked at Tashi. She said "I think you remind him of someone and that's why—"

"Matsumoto!" yelled the captain form a few feet away.

"Yes sir" she said. She turned around and followed after the captain "I don't see why we couldn't stay longer. You're no fun sometimes…"

As the captain and the woman's conversation trailed off Eri said "You don't think that woman was-"

"Vice Captain, Rangiku Matsumoto? Yes I do actually."

"There's no way! Did you see those boobs? They were huge! And she didn't even try to cover them up!"

"Who else could get away with a display like that? Plus, what else do you do with boobs that big? They'd look ridiculous in a sweater."

"I didn't even know they could get that big" muttered Eri.

"I've never seen it before myself, but—"

"Excuse me" said a young man.

Tashi and Eri stopped their conversation and greeted the young man, Yukimaru.

'Holy hell' thought Tashi 'I hope he didn't hear us!' "Yukimaru-sama" she bowed "How are you?"

"I'm doing fine, thanks Tashi. I actually just wanted to congratulate you."

"Me? Oh no" denied Tashi "I don't think all this is such a big deal." She was embarrassed by all the extra attention and afraid it might upset her mother.

"Don't be embarrassed Tashi. I should be the one who is embarrassed. I didn't get a chance to say it, after everything that happened, but for that being the first time you picked up a sword you did amazingly well."

Tashi turned bright red at remembering the incident and what she did to Yukimaru and subsequently Abarai Renji. Tashi rubbed the back of her head and just laughed nervously.

"No, really Tashi, I was curios if um…well…"

Eri sensed she was not needed there anymore and ran off to great another friend near by. "Good to see you Yukimaru!" said Eri.

He waved and focused on Tashi who felt Eri had just abandoned her. Yukimaru said "Well, do you want to practice with me this afternoon? You seem awfully powerful, but there are still things you need to learn about concerning stance and technique."

Tashi thought it odd that Yukimaru-sama would take this kind of interest in her. She knew the two of them would someday be married. Their families arranged for it years ago. The two of them came from powerful families and the marriage between Tashi and Yukimaru would be beneficial on both sides. "I…" mother said men didn't like women who are strong… "I don't think that would be a good idea. It was really just a fluke what happened that day. You'd beat me senseless Yukimaru-sama." She smiled and looked away nervously.

He took a step forward and said more quietly "Why must you always be so formal with me? Feel free to call me Yuki, like all my friends."

Tashi looked up at Yukimaru and said "Okay, Yuki-sama."

Yuki laughed at her usage of the 'sama' honorific and said "Close enough." Tashi didn't laugh and he continued "Listen, Tashi, if you won't…Come on. Don't doubt yourself."

Tashi looked up at him and thought 'Why is he pushing to spend time with me now? When we were younger he used to say 'I'll see enough of you while I'm married. Leave alone now and let me have some fun!' He's an attractive guy. Strong, good looking, light brown hair and green eyes. Interesting combination. There are plenty of girls here who are trying to get his attention.'

Just as Tashi thought that a young woman in the red and white uniform of the Academy called his name and waved at him. Tashi said "Well, she seems to want to talk to you."

Yuki said "Is that what this is about? All these girls?"

Tashi was a little taken aback by the implication she had an interest in his private life. "No…"

"Look Tashi, I know I've said some um…insensitive things before…"

"Try hurtful and cold" she said.

"Well, I uh" Yuki was surprised at Tashi coming right out and saying that. The Tashi he knew would not have opened her mouth once. He liked it and he smiled "You're right. I'm sorry. Away from the estates it seems you're a different person."

Tashi was horrified. 'Oh my gods! I have to take control of myself! I can't return to my parent's home blurting out everything that comes to mind!'

"I'd like to get this version of you…the _real_ you. The one who could crack a joke in front of the deadly Captain Zaraki. The one who cracked Renji Abarai in the nuts."

"Oh my gods, Yuki" she said covering her face in shame at remembrance of the incident.

"The one who isn't afraid to say what she's thinking" he said this as he gently took hold of her wrists and pulled her hands away from her face. He whispered "Who are you, Tashi Touichi?"

She looked up at him and realized she didn't think Yukimaru was really all that impressive. "I'm sorry, Yuki-sama." Tashi couldn't think of a way to get out of it and thankfully the bell rang to alert the students that midday break was over and classes were about to begin.

He said "Here, let me help you with your books."

"No, it's okay."

"Really, it's no inconvenience. We share the next class" he said smiling.

Tashi sighed and reluctantly said "Alright."

"Gee Tashi, don't be so down about it" he laughed. 'I prefer my women to be a challenge. Maybe pursuing her might actually get interesting.'

Interesting or not, the two young people walked off. Tashi, completely unaware that she was being watched the entire time by Renji Abarai, and Yukimaru was equally oblivious. It was totally coincidental; Tashi picked the tree he was sitting in to eat under.

Renji's captain was very curious about this girl and Renji was asked to keep an eye on her. It was a lot easier than he thought it would be since they naturally kept crossing paths. 'But why is the Captain so curious about her? Maybe he'll ask her to be in our squad. I think after the academy she could definitely handle it.'

Tashi made it to class with Yukimaru and thankfully separated from him due to their assigned seats. After class she made a quick exit and Yuki was held up by a group of girls who wanted to schedule personal study sessions with him.

------------------------------------------  
The next day a large meeting was held for both the captains and the vice captains of the Gotei 13. It was a regular meeting held every other month. This month the meeting was held on the campus of the Shinigami Academy.

Vice Captain Yachiru Kusajishi quickly became bored with a meeting she was asked to attend with her captain, the 11ths squad captain, Zaraki Kenpachi.. Her mind wandered and since she was so small she was able to sneak out of the room unnoticed. She walked down the halls of the academy wondering what it would be like to attend such a school. She planned to do so when she was older, but her skill level was high enough that it wasn't necessary. She thought she would go just for social reasons. Zaraku thought she should attend school as well.

The door of one of the classrooms was cracked open enough for her to peer through. Yachiru was excited to see a familiar face.

Tashi sat in class trying hard to keep her notes detailed. Her watch said she had only a few more minutes before the class was over. 'Then it's midday break with the girls and—'Tashi looked up into a pair of large inquisitive eyes and a short pink bob-hairdo. Tashi looked around and it was as if no one else noticed the small girl perched on the table in front of Tashi. "Nutcracker!" she squealed, happy to see Tashi.

"Excuse me?" 'Who is this girl?' Then Tashi remembered. "Vice Captain" she said calmly, "I'm in class right now and I have to take notes. Would you kindly let me—"

"Nutcracker, Ken-chan is in a meeting. It was so dull. They didn't even have snacks!"

"Well, after class I'm sure I can get you some snacks, but right now—"

"Touichi-san?" asked the professor.

"Yes, sir?" responded Tashi.

"If you're going to talk to yourself, please keep it down. The rest of the class would like to listen to what I'm saying" said the professor.

Tashi was about to protest, but thought the better of it. "Yes, sir. I'm sorry, sir." Tashi noted Yachiru was now under the table and out of view. 'Are we playing these games, Vice-Captain?'

Yachiru peered over the top of the desk at Tashi, who decided to ignore the Vice Captain. "Nutcracker? Nutcracker?" Yachiru realized Tashi was ignoring her and decided to get even. She went under the desk and grabbed onto Tashi's leg with her teeth.

"OOOOOOOWE!" shouted Tashi, just as the bell rang. The young man that Tashi sat next to gave her a funny look, gathered his books and left. Tashi looked under the table to where Yachiru was attached to her leg. "Gaaaah! Vice Captain!" she cried as she dragged her leg and the little pink haired girl attached to it into the hallway. "Ow ow ow ow o wo! Vice Captain, if you let go I can get us snacks at the cafeteria!"

Yachiru relented and happily went with Tashi to the cafeteria. Tashi tried to entertain the Vice Captain until someone realized she was missing from the meeting. Captain Zaraki eventually noticed his vice captain had left and went to go find her. He found her sitting with three sullen Shinigami students and a large bowl of ice cream. Yachiru greeted the hulk of a captain "Ken-chan! Nutcracker bought me ice cream!"

Zaraki recognized Tashi and remembered her from the day she fought Abarai. "Nutcracker, eh?"

Tashi blushed deeply at the sound of her nickname. "Captain, it's a pleasure to see you again."

"Heh. You've grown even more powerful" he said in response. Tashi reacted by trying to hide her reiatsu. She didn't want have any reason to draw any attention to the Captain. He leaned in closer, knowing what she just did, putting his face very close to hers as a challenge. Tashi slouched down wishing she could be invisible.

"Maybe you're ready to fight me?" he said, more of a statement than a question.

"I-uh-uh…I don't think so, Captain. You're still out of my league" answered Tashi. Eri was feeling dizzy in the presence of such powerful reiatsu and was bobbing from side to side.

The vice captain noticed this and said to Atsumi "Sake-stinker, Pigtails is being affected by Ken-chan's power."

Atsumi was not amused by the nick name given to her "Sake-stinker?"

"Yes!" laughed Yachiru, with an oversized spoon in her hand. "You stink like sake! Hahahahahaha!"

Zaraki felt the power rushing behind Tashi's eyes and was entranced with the idea of fighting her. He felt it, he knew, she was someday going to reach Bankai.

She tried to ignore him and continued to chew on her crust-less sandwich. She tried and tried to ignore him, but it was getting tougher as he was putting his face closer and closer to hers. Yahciru continued to cram ice-cream into her mouth, Eri shrunk in her seat with her eyes wide with fear, and Atsumi became more and more agitated as she watched Zaraki get in Tashi's face.

---------------------------------------------  
Back at the officer's meeting, they decided to take a short break while Zaraki found Yachiru. Vice Captain Kira was talking to another Vice Captain about a recent duel he had. Renji walked up from behind Kira to hear the story too and Kira flung his arms wide to describe the event and in the process dropped his foamy café latte onto Renji's clothing.

----------------------------------------------

Tashi finished her sandwich and was afraid that Atsumi was going to pick a fight she couldn't win. Tashi was about to excuse herself when Atsumi blurted out "Yo! Captain!"

Tashi closed her eyes and sighed. "Oh, Atsumi."

The captain's attention turned to Atsumi "eh? Who're you?"

Atsumi boiled "I'm Tashi's friend. If you're gonna pick a fight with her you've gotta go through me first!"

Eri was on the floor drooling, along with a host of other students in the cafeteria and Tashi was aghast at what Atsumi was doing. "Atsumi, that's not really necessary. I-uh, umm –Just—"

Captain Zaraki focused on Atsumi. He could clearly see she was no match for him, but for some reason something screamed to him that she would be more fun to fight. "You like fighting girl?"

Atsumi smirked. "I like it when I get to kick the ass of jerks who pick on my friends."

Tashi couldn't believe what she was hearing and dropped her head in her hands knowing she couldn't stop what was happening. "Dear Gods Atsumi" she said to herself.

Kenpachi laughed and Yachiru finished her ice cream. Kenpachi said "Well then, you come find me when your reiatsu grows up." Zaraki looked back at Tashi and found another Captain between Tashi and himself. "Eh?"

Captain Kuchiki stood in front of Tashi and told Zaraki "It is time to resume the meeting Captain. Collect your vice captain and let us return."

Zaraki knew he wasn't going to get a good fight out of these girls…today…but would have another chance at another time. He made a mental note of Tashi's fiery friend and returned to the meeting with Yachiru.

As Captain Kuchiki walked away Tashi said "Thank you, Captain."

He barely turned and said "I have more important things to attend to today after this meeting. I did not want to waste anymore time waiting for the undisciplined officers." He then continued on his way.

Captain Kuchiki and the 11th squad officers returned just in time to see Kira splash Renji with his foamy café latte.

Before the Shinigami officer meeting let out Captain Kuchiki suggested Renji use his cleaners and handed him the address. Kuchiki said "I cannot have my vice captain looking at all shabby. They are the best cleaners around." Renji gratefully accepted the address.

After the meeting let out Renji went back to the office quickly to drop off a folder and pick up another one. 'This paperwork is endless!' Renji then returned to his quarters and changed into plain clothes.

He was going to put on kimono, but instead decided on something a little different. He pulled on a pair of slightly baggy jeans, a tee shirt, and a hooded sweatshirt. He liked a lot of the clothes he found in the living world and made sure he had found similar items back in Soul Society to wear on occasions like this. He put on a beat up denim jacket over his sweatshirt. He adjusted the bandanna tied around his head, picked up his soiled uniform, and left for the dry cleaners.

Renji stopped at one corner and pulled out the slip of paper Kuchiki had given him. He looked at the name on the slip and saw a building he thought fit the description. He took a few steps towards it and heard "Hey! Vice-Captain!"

Renji turned around and saw a young kid he thought was vaguely familiar, but couldn't place. Renji's hesitation showed a bit on his face. The kid was in an Academy uniform. "Vice Captain, hello! I'm Tetsuo, remember? You threatened to make my insides my outs if I ever insulted your Captain again?"

Renji shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. He just didn't remember. 'I say that to a lot of my subordinates. When did I say that to a student…?'

"At Tashi Toucihi's house?"

Then Renji recalled the boy and realized Tetsuo wasn't so bad a kid. They had gotten to talking and he remembered leaving feeling fondly of Tetsuo. "Oye! Ah! Sorry. I…uh.."

"Are pretty famous and more people know you than you know yourself? It's okay. What are you doing in this neck of the woods?"

"I need to drop his off at the cleaners. Someone spilled something on it."

Tetsuo nodded saying "I see. That place there, right? It's where all the Captain's get their cloaks done. Makes sense."

Renji realized how close to captaincy he was and looked at the cleaners. "Hmf. Yeah."

Tetsuo said "Hey, Vice Captain, you know I heard you used to live in the house I'm staying in these days."

"Your house? You have one too?" 'I guess all these damn noble's kids have whatever they want…wait…I lived in the party house when I was an upperclassman…' "You mean the one on the back of the woods?"

"Yes, sir! There's been some changes since then, but I'm sure you'd recognize it."

The sun was setting and Renji wanted to get his gi into the cleaners before they closed. He looked back at the store and said "Hey, I gotta drop this off."

"Sure" said Tetsuo "How about you drop it off and then you can take a look at the house?"

"Eh. I think I'll pass" said Renji.

"Oh come on Vice Captain. You know they had to knock some walls down recently and do some rebuilding."

Renji looked alarmed but didn't say anything. "Oh?" They both strolled into the cleaners and the attendant told Renji he could pick up his gi the next day. Tetsuo talked with  
Renji about the things the construction crew found and how in awe the current residents were of what he left behind.

Tetsuo continued the conversation they were leaving. "Then when the wall came down they all poured out!" They walked back out on to the street and Tetsuo asked "Dude. How did you do it? I mean, there were A LOT in there. We thought maybe it was a bunch of you, but the messages in there said it was all you."

Renji tried to hide his smile thinking of wilder days, but he couldn't and a broad smile made it across his face. "I don't know, man. I don't know how I did it."

"I mean…shit…there were just so many!"

"Yeah, well."

"You've got to teach me how!"

Renji looked a little alarmed and said "huh?"

"I mean how to make it up to that point…not…" Tetsuo shook his hand in the air in front of them and said "…you know…I know that, but how to get them to do that is, well…"

"Tough." Renji sighed and looked at the road leading to his old home and then down at the folder in his hand. He opened it up and flipped through a few pages. He realized he had the wrong folder and told Tetsuo that he had to go back ot the offices to swap it for the right one. "I'll drop by later."

"Yeah? Well…you won't bring friends will you? I mean…if there's something happening at the house…"

"If you're having a party, no, I wont' bust it. Dude! It used to be my house too!" Renji thought a moment and said "You know what, I'll be right back." Renji flash stepped to the office swapped the folders, pulled a pen out of his pocket and wrote Kuchiki a note about a memo and flash stepped back to Tetuso's side.


	10. Dry Cleaning and Take Out

Chapter 9 Dry Cleaning and Take Out

When the three girls got home that night Atsumi was riled up and ready to party. Tashi was playing a board game with Eri and Atsumi was blaring her music getting ready to go out. Atsumi was still riding on a high after her confrontation with Captain Zaraki earlier in the day. "Shit girls! I was totally ready to fight him! I was like I'll take you out, even though I totally know I couldn't, but SHIT! I felt AWESOME!"

Eri and Tashi laughed at each other and said goodnight when Atsumi left. A short time later they got a call from Tetsuo. Tashi said "It's kind of early for the call isn't it?"

Eri and Tashi were getting used to going to Tetsuo's house to pick up Atsumi and take her home. Half the time it was just a way to get Tashi out of the house, but sometimes Atsumi couldn't walk under her own power. "No, girls, it's different" he said. "I don't know what it is, but she's got terrible stomach pains." Eri could hear Atsumi whining in the background.

"Alright" sighed Eri. "We'll be there in 10minutes." It used to be 25, but the girls flash-step skills were improving.

---------------------------------------------  
"Atsumi, they'll be here soon to take you home."

"Crap" said Atsumi as she lay on an old worn out couch. It was red corduroy and worn in spots so much that it was almost pink. "I think I'm gonna die."

"You're not gonna die. It's probably a stomach virus or something" said Tetsuo.

Renji came laughing from the hallway with a beer in his hand. "OYE!"

The vibration of Renji's 'oye' made Atsumi's head buzz and she thought she was going to throw up. "Shit" she said "Tetsuo, this is getting serious. I think I'm hallucinating."

Tetsuo looked at Abarai, and Abarai looked at Tetsuo. They both looked questioningly at Atsumi. She said "I see a fuckin' Vice Captain in your house and he's dressed like he's some fashion plate from the living world. On top of it all he's got a brusky in his hands!"

Tetsuo said "Hmmmmmm. I think I've got some Soul Society Stomach Settler in the medicine cabinet in the other room. I'll go find it."

There were a couple of guys yelling at each other in the hallway and Renji said "Yeah, just take a nap" then went into the hallway to deal with the two rough students. He settled the matter quickly and went to find the Tetsuo who was digging through the medicine cabinet, unable to find the medicine.

"Crap" said Atsumi. "Maybe it was the food I just ordered?" As Renji and Tetsuo pulled apart the bathroom in search of the medicine Atsumi decided to investigate the food she ate. She stumbled to the staircase and clung to the banister as she went down. She passed some guys who were also regulars at the parties and a couple who were making out. She made it down stairs and into the room where she had been eating her take out meal. It looked harmless enough, but she couldn't figure out where she had seen the delivery boy before. She laid down on the floor and moaned some more.

Tetsuo finally found the bottle, which had fallen out of the cabinet and rolled behind the toilet. Renji found a small cup to measure the medicine with and they both were surprised to find the room which Atsumi was in empty. "Atsumi?" called out Tetsuo, but no sign of the sick girl. Tetsuo then started to toss and catch the bottle. Tetsuo said "Well, we'd better find her. If she's wandering around up here it could be trouble. The floor isn't too stable up here. She could fall right through the floor."

Renji eyed the bottle Tetsuo was tossing and said "Oye, that bottle. Does it even have anything in it?"

"Hm?" Tetsuo looked at the bottle and realized it was pretty light. He opened it up and found it was empty. Not even a drop left. "Shit. Let's see if there's anything in the room next door."

---------------------------------------------  
Tashi and Eri sped through the streets from their home headed for Tetsuo's house. On their way they passed Captain Kenpachi who was sitting at a roadside tea house enjoying some sake after having put Yachiru to bed. He recognized the spirit power signatures of the two girls who sped by and thought it would be interesting to follow them. 'Where are they headed at this time of night? I could probably find a spot to finally fight Touichi. She needs to learn to fight and quit running away all the time.'

--------------------------------------------

Atsumi remembered. "Dammit!" The delivery boy had wanted to live in the party house, but was denied. It wasn't anything too personal, the boy simply was too young. A lot of people applied, but not everyone was allowed to live there. This boy was rather bitter about his rejection though and apparently poisoned the food. "Damn, damn, damn!"

She looked at the cardboard container and suspicious meal and passed out. Tetsuo came into the room and gave Atsumi, who was lying on the floor, a pill. "Here, Atsumi, I'll go get some water for you or something. This should help a bit. It's a pain reliever."

"Huh?" said Atsumi feeling terribly sick. She put her head back down on the carpet and Tetsuo ran off to find a cup of water, not beer.

--------------------------------------------  
Eri and Tashi continued to run towards the house. They were almost there when Eri's stomach growled. Tashi laughed and said "Don't worry, Eri. I'm sure there will be something to eat at Tetsuo's."

"I heard your stomach growling before we even left the house! Flash-step always does this to me."

The girls were almost there, totally unaware that they were being followed. They arrived at the house and searched for Atsumi's reiatsu through the smoke and crowds of students. They made it upstairs and found Atsumi moaning to herself on the couch. Eri saw the noodles and said "Hey Tashi, I'm sure this is Atsumi's she always orders it from that cheap place near the coffee shop."

"Help yourself then" said Tashi as she examined Atsumi.

"Iew, no, I hate this curry crap" said Eri. She then sat down on the couch to take a better look at her sick roommate.

Tashi shrugged and her stomach growled. "Wow. Flash-step really does take a lot of energy." She looked at the meal, which was still warm, and said "Well, beggars can't be choosers" and took a few bites.

Eri tapped Atsumi's face and tried to gently bring her to."

Tashi put the food down and said " we need to get her off the floor. There's a couch in the room next door, let's put her there." Eri and Tashi dragged a half conscious Atsumi to the couch in the next room.

--------------------------------------------  
Zaraki knew Tashi was there. He could almost smell it. Zaraki burst into the house, knocking over a group of students nearby. Those left standing saw the hulk of a captain an thought their party was busted. HE then screamed "Where is Touchi-san?"

Everyone froze and eyes darted around the room trying to figure out what would be the next safest move. Zaraki lost his patience and barged through the crowd and down a smoky hallway taking down students all along his way. Tashi was shaking Atsumi's arm to rouse her from her slumber when she heard a wild crash and some students pleading for their lives.

Tashi stood up straight and said "You're kidding me"

Feeling the terror of Zaraki's soul power speeding towards them Eri pulled Atsumi off the couch and wrapped the nearly unconscious girl's arm around her shoulder.

Then Renji fell through the ceiling. When the dust cleared and the Vice Captain stood up the girls gasped. Renji was dressed not in his uniform, but casually and stared at the three girls realizing he might get in trouble if word got out to his superiors that he was there.

He immediately said "What're you doing here?"

Eri was about to answer for them but was interrupted by Atsumi barfing on the floor.

Zaraki's murderous rampage continued down the hallway and Tashi was in a state of disbelief. She only sighed and said "Who…how can this get worse?"

Atsumi heaved a bit more almost answering Tashi's question.

Tetsuo jumped down through the hole in the ceiling to see if Renji was alright and found the girls "I was wondering where you guys wandered off to" he said.

Tashi said "We couldn't leave Atsumi on the floor like this."

Tetsuo said "The captain is after you. Looking for a fight no less."

"Uh…I know" said Tashi. The house shook a bit more as Zaraki barged into nearby rooms. Tashi checked out the windows but they were high from the ground. She knew she could make it, but wasn't sure about Eri and was certain Atsumi would get hurt jumping in her current state. "Renji? Can you take Atsumi to our house? Tetsuo, you and Eri hide in the wall."

"Hey, how did you know—"

"I live with Atsumi. She told me" said Tashi. There was a panel in the wall which could be pushed aside. It was a small space and only two adults could feasibly fit in the spot. It was used for last minute hiding spot when the Shinigami-squad came looking to bust up illegal parties.

Renji stepped forward and said "You're not going to fight him are you?"

"NO!" said Tashi "But it will be a lot easier for all of us to get out if we could split up."

They all stood unwilling to leave Tashi alone. She looked at them and commanded "GO! NOW!"

After Renji leapt out the window Atsumi Tetsuo took Eri into the wall space. Tashi heard the commotion Zaraki was causing in the hallway and decided to hop out the window. She saw some squad members across the lawn and thought the better of trying to run past them. She jumped up through the hole Renji left in the ceiling and when she stood she found herself face to face with Byakuya Kuchiki. Her surprise caused her to lose her step and she fell back down through he hole. She was waiting for the pain of the fall, but it never came.

Byakuya pulled her up through the hole by her obi. He set her down o her feet and said "Renji"

Tashi didn't want to acknowledge she had seen the Vice Captain there and get him in trouble, but she couldn't find it inside herself to lie to Byakuya-sama.

It turned out it was lucky for Zaraki to be on Tashi's tail that night. Kenpachi burst through the door. The force of his presence knocked Tashi through he hole and this time she hit. Hard.

When Zaraki entered the room all he saw was Captain Kuchiki in full uniform. He thought he had felt Tashi in there, but she wasn't present. Zaraki didn't ponder it a long time and barked "Where is she? She was here!" he grinned.

Byakuya didn't respond and this angered Zaraki very much so. "Answer me captain. I know you know!" Byakuya turned his head and looked out the window. He saw Tashi leap into the trees and away from the house. After she disappeared squad members combed the area, complete ignorant that she had just passed. Kuchiki looked back at Zaraki who realized Tashi had left. "I missed out on my cutting!"

Byakuya couldn't help but say "Maybe you were too slow."

"I don't think that's the case. I think though you can make it up to me." Grinned Zaraki at the prospect of fighting the famed Zenbonzakura.

"I have no time for such games. "

"You're too serious. You should play more often."

"I have more noble quests to occupy my time" said Byakuya and he casually shunpo-ed to get behind Zaraki and walked out the door.

------------------------------------------

Renji sped towards the girls house with Atsumi in his arms. She moaned "uuunh"

"Almost there" he said and the house came into sight. She opened her eyes when they reached the porch and stood on her own two feet.

"Thanks Vice Captain"

"Ah, yeah."

She go the keys out but didn't have the coordination to put it in the hole. Renji did it for her. She turned to thank hi and instead of thanking him found herself puking one last time.

He stood unsure how to react. His pants were splattered with the previous contents of Atsumi's stomach.

"Oh Gods, I'm sorry" she slurred as if it were one word. "Come in, come in" she pulled him into the foyer and said "Take 'em off I'll throw em in the washer."

"No, no, it's"

Atsumi grabbed the belt loops on his pants and yanked him closer. "You don't em to fuckin' stain, do you?'

"You've all of a sudden gotten great coordination for a drunk girl" he said.

She fiddled with the zipper. She stopped and said "For your information, I'm not drunk! I had food poisoning, then that medicine you guys gave me almost knocked me out! But now I'm all funny. But not drunk!"

"Yeah, right. I know what was going on there, at Tetsuo's house."

Atsumi's stomach gurgled in her defense and she yanked Renji's pants to the ground making him yelp with surprise "Ayee!"

He stumbled out of this pants and Atsumi rushed them to the washing machine. She then threw in her own shirt off her back, poured in some soap and turned it on. Renji could help but note the little lacy bra she was wearing and quickly found another place to look.

He took off his jacket and held it in front of himself in and attempt to hid his boxers. Atsumi noticed his clothing and said "What are those? You wear shorts under your clothes?"

"They're boxers. A friend of mine brought them back from the living world."

"What are those things on them?"

"They're flying toasters."

"Ah. I like 'em."

Renji blushed and Atsumi laughed. She then threw a towel at him and said "Shit, you're almost as easy to embarrass as Tashi."

They both thought about her and Renji said "I've got to go back"

Atsumi slyly spoke as she opened a package of food "So your captain wouldn't mind you runnin' around with half yer clothes? You look like hot shit if you as me, but I don't know if Byakuya-kun really feels the same."

"Byakuya-Kun? Are you sure you're not drunk?"

"I'm feeling better now, but I'm surprised Tashi didn't feel anything. We both ate from the same dish." Atsumi closed her eyes then suddenly ran back to the bathroom.

Tashi ran down the road feeling safer with each step. 'Two more turns and I'll be able to see the house!' No sooner did she finish her thought than she ran into a wall. She sat on the ground thinking 'When did they put a wall across this road?'

Tashi looked up form the ground and saw her wall was Captain Kuchiki "Where is Renji?" he asked.

Tashi didn't stand but got to he knees and bowed. She felt a sharp pain from running an flinched, She was out of breath and Kuchiki waited for an answer. When Tashi didn't answer he said sternly "Do not make me repeat myself, child."

Tashi's nerves caused her stomach to go into spasm, and the pain in her side traveled across her abdomen "Oh gods!" she said and fell to her elbows. She righted herself and realized 'It's not from running or nerves! It's dinner! I was poisoned like Atsumi!'

Tashi knelt before her lord awaiting the inevitable shame of vomiting in public. She realized telling herself to not vomit was as likely to work as telling Zaraki to find a peaceful solution. She felt an arm pick her up by the waist and heard Tetsuo say "Sorry Captain, but Tashi's not feeling well enough for interrogation right now. " He used his lame flash-step skills to get them out of t there.

Byakuya trailed them easily back to Tashi's house . Tetsuo slung Tashi over his shoulder. This jolted her a way she wasn't expecting and before entering the house he heard a splash on the porch behind him. "Sorry Tashi" he said sheepishly as he entered her house. He took her to the bathroom where he found Atsumi already laying claim to the toilet. "Sorry Atsumi, urgent request!" he said as she plopped Tashi next to the toilet. She quickly made use of it.

"S'alright" said Atsumi, leaning against the tiled wall. "I'm slowin' down. What kind of shit did you feed us?"

"I'm sorry! I did know!" defended Tetsuo.

"Oye!" he heard form behind him. Tetsuo turned around to say hi to Reni and to apologize for the insanity involved him in. Tetsuo was stuck dumb when he saw Renji's clothed in a fierce denim jacket, a head band, and a fluffy towel decorated with fuzzy ducks. Tetsuo began to laugh uncontrollably at the sigh of the stern Vice Captain donning fluffy ducks.

Tetsuo wasn't laughing when Atsumi said "Iiiiew! Fucker you've got puke on the back of your –" she belched "pants!" Before he knew it Tetsuo was also wearing a fluffy duck towel. The guys sat in the living room listening to the dryer tumble their clothes and to the girls intermittently barfing.

Captain Kuchiki found the house and held back a sigh before he approached. When he appeared in front of the two young men on the couch Renji could not hold back his own sigh. The captain approached and Renji dropped his head in defeat. "You caught me Captain."

When Renji didn't get a response he looked up, cautiously. He saw Byakuya's very serious face. The captain extended his hand and a pink ticket.

"huh?"

"You left this on my desk. I believe you will need it to retrieve your uniform from the Shinigami Dry Cleaners."

"Ah, yes, sir" said Renji waiting for the axe of Kuchiki's discipline to fall.

The cool Captain's eyes flickered over his subordinate and he said "Mm, I like fluffy ducks as well." Then Kuchiki left, the speed of his departure blew wind through their hair.

The two men on the couch couldn't find anything appropriate to say at that moment, and instead of tempting the bizarre chain of events to continue, they stayed silent waiting for morning to come.


	11. Fundoshi Raid

Chapter 10 Fundoshi Raid

The following Monday Renji made it into the office, feeling the events of the previous Friday far behind him. He walked into the sixth squad administrative buildings with his new clean gi. A lower ranking Shinigami, assigned as a secretary to the officers of the sixth squad told Renji that the captain wanted to see him.

Renji thought nothing of it and went directly to Kuchiki's office. Renji went in and Kuchiki was seated at his desk. The captain put down his pen and told Renji "Come stand here." He motioned to the area in front of his desk. "I have something to discuss with you."

Renji knew what this meant and suddenly knew he was in trouble. "Yes, sir!" Renji marched up to the desk and stood at attention.

Kuchiki sat back in his chair and waited a moment, considering his words carefully. "Over the weekend I had some time to think. I believe that Touichi-san has reached a level of sophistication in her education and you are no longer to keep tabs on her."

Renji was a little disappointed, but he understood. "Yes, sir!" Renji noted his captain was still angry. His grey eyes were cold as steel. "…Uh…sir?"

Captain Kuchiki then said "Does this upset you?"

'Why is he so stern?' "No, sir." Renji could feel Kuchiki's eyes running up and down him, searching for something,but what he couldn't tell.

"In addition, I also think you may have become too involved."

"Captain? What do you mean?" asked Renji out of turn.

"The incident on Friday opened my eyes to the inappropriateness of your connection with the students."

"They're in their last year, captain!" Renji was responding out of surprise, but yet, not disrespectfully. "They're practically—"

"They are students, Renji." Kuchiki did not raise his voice, nor seem to express any anger. He was stating a fact that was very clear to Renji.

"Yes sir" he said not arguing.

"This means you may not fraternize with them. I may have been the reason you crossed the line, so I will turn a blind eye towards recent events. Any further interaction with Touichi-san, those girls, or the young men who are always following her will not be tolerated."

'Following her?' "Yes, sir!"

"I am glad we are clear. You are dismissed, Vice Captain" said Kuchiki as he picked up his pen again.

Renji turned around and was about to leave when he said over his shoulder to his captain. "Sir, if you think you're the only person interested in Touchi-san's talents, you are wrong. Other captains have taken notice of what benefits there would be of having her in their squad." Then he left.

As he walked down the hallway towards his destination Renji's mind began to wander. 'I wonder what squad Touichi-san will choose. She's damned powerful, that girl. Atsumi's no weakling either, but it's more her will than anything. Pigtails is quiet and a bit mousey. She's stronger than when she started, but she never did answer me about what squad she was hoping for.'

Renji stopped when he reached the door to his own office, a room he spent little time in and opened the door. 'They're good kids.' Renji thought of his late friends from Rukongai and what fun he had with them back in the days of his childhood. He compared those feelings with the ones he felt when he was with this group of students. Then he felt a bit of an ache realizing these 'kids' had become his friends, and he one of theirs. He entered his office and turned on the lights.

-----------------------------------------

Captain Kuchiki sat at his desk in a boiling rage. Of course, his face did not show it and he continued on with his work as if nothing had irked him. He thought about Renji's words_'…if you think you're the only person interested in Touchi-san's talents, you are wrong…'_ Kuchiki broke the tip of his pen off and a pool of ink began to ruin the document he was working on. He barely noticed.  
-----------------------------------------

Tashi, Atsumi, and Eri all slept peacefully in their respective beds. Atsumi slept, snoring loudly on the top bunk. Her bare leg hanging off the side dangling down. Eri slept beneath Atsumi, curled in a ball. As the produce of years of training, Tashi was disciplined, even in her sleep. Tashi slept in the separate bed, on her back with her hands clasped over the blanket. As Eri stretched one of her legs out and Atsumi snorted and mumbled something in her sleep a dark figure appeared in their window.

The dark figure stealthily opened the window and entered the room. It was a young man on a mission.

Eri thought she felt something strange going on and her eyes slowly opened. At first she wasn't quite sure what was happening, but knew that the black clad figure standing in front of her dresser didn't belong there. By the time Eri sat up and screamed the figure was long gone, having stolen a pair of Eri's panties. Her favorites. The white bikini's with the yellow cherries.

When Eri screamed Atsumi bolted upright immediately slamming her forehead on the celing. "Oh, SHIT! Damned ceiling, WHAT THE HELL, ERI?"

Atsumi slid off the side of the bunk and jumped down then joined Eri who was crying next to the window and Tashi who was looking out the window, searching the yard for the thief. When Tashi looked back at Atsumi she said "That was weird. I've never heard of cat burglars taking a pair of underwear before."

Atsumi was grumpy and her head hurt. She climbed back up to her bunk and crawled back under her blanket. "It was a panty raid doofus! Shit, don't they teach you nothin' with all those fancy tutors you had?" she grumbled and quickly fell asleep again. "I'll think 'a something to get them back…"

Tashi comforted Eri and the girls made sure the windows and doors were all locked before they fell asleep again.

The next afternoon…

"You want WHAT?!" screeched Tahsi in the cafeteria.

"I want to do a jockstrap raid, to get those bastards back fro stealing Eri's underwear" said Atsumi, casually as she settled into her seat. "And you're going to help me."

What…I can't do that!" said Tashi.

"Oh yes you can and you will" ordred Atsumi.

"I've taken enough risks with you lately. I can't do this. I just…I just can't." Tashi seemed exhausted, but it didn't stop Atsumi from telling her she was helping.

"Now that you know, you have to help" said Atsumi as she crunched her apple. "Don't worry" she said with a full mouth "It's all mapped out. I just need someone else who's good at hiding their reiatsu and stuff. We'll go tonight."

"Not tonight!" protested Tashi "It's a school night."

"Fine, tomorrow night then" said Atsumi.

"So what's the plan?" asked Tashi, quietly.

"I told you, we're going to sneak in and take their fundoshi's and sneak out. Easy enough."

Tashi looked at her dumbfounded. "You must be kidding. There's got to be more to this than that."

"Well I figured since you and I can hide our reiatsu's pretty well that'd be enough of a plan" shrugged.

Tashi said "No, we need a plan. I'll think one up. You have a map? I don't know the male student's barracks all that well."

"Yep. Its' at the house. We'll go over it tonight" whispered Atsumi as she saw Eri approach. "This is going to be the perfect cri e!"

"No crime is perfect! It's just crime!" whispered Tashi, irritated that she'd once again gotten pulled into trouble because of Atsumi.

Eri came back to the table, unaware of what was being planned in her honor.

Eri put her tray down and looked at her tray then sighed. She saw something out of the corner of her eye and saw Tetsuo. "Why, Eri" she whispered again "It's your boy over there, looking for somewhere to sit."

Eri waved him down and Tetsuo joined them. "Whatcha whispering about?" he whispered.

Eri leaned in and whispered "Do either of you have an extra dollar? I picked up a crunchy peanut butter instead of a creamy peanut butter sandwich."

Tashi handed Eri a dollar and said to Tetsuo "We're talking about girl things."

"Oh?" said Tetsuo intrigued. "I like girl things. Whatcha chattin' about? Some boy?" he teased.

"Shut up, jerk" said Atsumi.

Tashi told Tetsuo "What she meant to say was that there are some things that are to be kept between ladies."

-----------------------------------------

Tashi shrouded her reiatsu and quietly entered the barrack. She found a long dark quiet hallway. 'There's like, no where for me to hide if someone yells out!'

Atsumi entered behind her, and Tashi was unaware until Atsumi put her hand on Tashi's shoulder. Tashi and Atsumi then went to work, splitting up and each taking to different rooms while the guys slept soundly. Then Tashi entered a room and nearly screamed when she saw who was lying in it. With the underwear safely, if a bit to her own disgust, tucked away in her gi. She collected herself and met Atsumi in the hallway. "Out Now!" she mouthed. Atsumi stuffed a fundoshi in her sleeve and then they moved out into the alley. "This is not the students barracks Atsumi!" whispered Tshi.

"Huh?"

"That map of yours was wrong!"

Tashi then held up one a pair of boxers she had taken in lieu of a fundoshi. It had flying toasters on it. The two of them gawked. Atsumi and Tashi flash stepped to their house and their bedroom. Eri sat biting her nails and soon found a fundoshi on her head.

She turned and saw the two of them. Atsumi was jumping excitedly yelping "We'll be LEGENDS!"

Tashi sat and dropped her head to the desk with a thud. "This is it. This is THE end for me, it really really is."

Atsumi explained where they had gone and Eri was floored that her two friends would have a fundoshi raid as revenge. She was flattered, but concerned. She didn't see why Tashi was so upset. Eri ignored Atsumi's hopping and cheering and she asked Tashi "Did you get caught?" Don't tell me they caught you!"

"No…no…that's not it…" mumbled Tashi, her words muffled by the desk.

Atsumi belly flopped onto the bed and whispered "It was not the students barracks! We took Vice Captain undies!" and waved Renji's boxers like a flag.

"Yes, Tashi, I think you're right. Didn't you guys say that Abarai had weird underclothing with strange machines on it?" asked Tashi, examining Atsumi's flag.

Tashi sat up and swiped the boxers out of Atsumi's hands. "Yes. They're Abarai's. It was his room…He snores loudly."

The girls laughed and Tashi sat down on the bed next to Atsumi who was stretched out on her back. "We have to hide all these smelly things" said Tashi.

Atsumi and Tashi then began to unload the fundoshi's from their clothing onto the floor.

"Holy…crap…guys" said Eri. There was quite a large pile of fundoshi's on the floor. The sun was rising and the girls decided to wash them, dry them, fold them and hide them under the floor boards of their bedroom untilt hey figured out what to do with them.


	12. Cheating

Chapter 11 Cheating

Tashi came back from class early wondering why Atsumi skipped that day. 'She didn't go out last night and she was in class first thing this morning. Why would she skip mid-day?' Tashi was walking towards the back of the house towards the kitchen when she heard some sniffling. 'Eri? What's she doing home and what is she crying about?'

Tashi was stunned when she made it to the bedroom and saw Atsumi, sitting at the desk in their bedroom , quietly crying to herself. "Atsumi! What's wrong?"

Atsumi was surprised that she had been caught in the act and sat up straight "What?!"

Tashi hesitated in approaching her roommate, like one would hesitate around a hungry tiger. "I just dropped home real quick to pick up some snacks for later. Are you oka—"

"I'm fine, princess!" snapped Atsumi. She turned her face back down intoer her folded arms. "Nothin' you could understand."

"Can I help in anyway?" asked Tashi, delicately.

There's nothin' anyone can do. Nothin' at all." Atsumi continued to sob.

Tashi was watching the clock and said "I guess you're not going to class?" She got no response. "I think I can miss just this once. It's no big deal, right?"

"No reason. Go to fuckin' class, Tashi" Atsumi sat up and wiped her nose. "I've gotta get goin' anyway."

Tashi asked "Where have you been going?"

"Rukongai" said Atsumi as she bent over and picked up a bag.

"For what?"

Atsumi wiped her eyes and said "Old Lady

Momo is dyin'."

"Old Lady Momo? Is that your grandmother? Who is it?" asked Tashi.

"I ain't got no family, Tashi, but she's the closet thing to it. She's an old lady from the neighborhood who kind watched out for some of us. She took to watchin' after orphans and now she's old and dyin' and there ain't nothin' anyone can do 'cept make her comfortable."

"What's she ailing from?"

"Age Tashi. She's just too damn old." Atsumi brusquely brushed past Tashi and said "I'm going now. I don't know when I'll be back."

"Atsumi! There's the History of the Hollow Raids exam tomorrow! That test is worth 75 of our grade! If you miss it you'll fail the class! You need this class! I overheard the other day that advisor talking to you. You could get promoted to the first class next semester if you do well now!"

"I cant' leave her to die all alone. Tashi, if she's gone tonight I'll be around tomorrow. If not then I won't. That's that. I'm going."

"There must be something…I can talk to professor. He—"

"HE doesn't take any excuses from anyone. I could be the one dyin' and he'd still fail me!"

"Yes, he is unreasonably strick. What if I spoke to Captain Ku-"

"Don't go barking up that tree again, shit. He ain't gonna help me. That's sure as shit. If he gave you so much trouble, do you think he's gonna help a me?"

"Well…I guess not, but what about Vice Captain Ab-"

"Let it go, Tashi!"

"There won't be any make-up and have you even studied at all? Don't throw all the rest of your hard work away Atsumi!"

Atsumi swirled around and dropped her bag on the ground. She ran at Tashi and tackled her to the ground. "What the bloody fuck is wrong with you?! Do you not hear what I'm sayin' bitch!? My old lady is dying!"

Tashi didn't struggle. "I'm sorry, Atsumi, I'm just looking out for you."

Atsumi got up and left and Tashi lay on the floor thinking of a way to help, She thought of a few things. 'I can call mother for a doctor, but it would still take a long time for the doctor to get there.'

Tashi then thought about the exam and the class she had to attend. She got up off the floor, picked up a few snacks to take with her and practiced her flash step on the way to class. In class she found it difficult to be attentive. She went to a review session for the Hollow Raids exam and took detailed notes.

On her way home that evening she thought again about Renji and if she could ask for help. The sun was setting and she imagined Atsumi at Old Lady Momo's side, then having to fail the exam the next day. 'That's just not fair…' thought Tashi. 'Not fair at all. Come to think about it, this must have been going on a while. Atsumi wasn't out partying a lot this semester but she was still missing. She's been studying hard, but without that review session it would be difficult if not impossible to pass this exam.' A passing thought occurred to Tashi about how she could help Atsumi. 'No, it's too risky' she shook her head. 'But Atsumi has worked hard. Failing this stupid class wouldn't be an honest reflection of her ability…'

Tashi made it home and found Eri crunching on some snacks and said "You are so lucky you have that stupid Hollow History class next semester."

"Not really, I'll be going through it alone while you and Atsumi will have completed it together. At least it will be out of your way" she said lazily as she crunched on her snacks.

"Actually if things go the way I think Atsumi will be taking that class with you next semester, if she's lucky."

Eri was doing well academically as well, but she was on a different track of courses than Atsumi and Tashi. She had decided to focus on healing techniques in preparation for the 4th squad.

"What do you mean?" said Eri, as she slowed her chewing.

Tashi explained what Atsumi had told her.

Eri said "You're not going to-"

"Yes Eri, I'm going to help Atsumi cheat." Tashi got to work writing in very tiny letters on a long slender rectangle of paper. "I can give her important dates and concepts. I'll figure out what to do about the essays later.'

Eri was worried about the entire scheme and said "Tashi, if she takes in papers it will be obvious."

"Who said she was carrying them?" said Tashi developing her plan.

* * *

Atsumi walked in the door just as the sun rose. Eri and Tashi were at the kitchen table eating some cereal and looked down the hall to Atsumi. Atsumi said in defeated voice "She died last night, but me and some other kids made a nice grave for her."

"Oh Atsumi! I'm so sorry!" said Tashi. Eri and Atsumi rushed over and said "Don't worry Atsumi Eri and I are here to do whatever it is you need."

"I need to be left alone" said Atsumi and she dragged down the hallway towards the bedroom.

Tashi said "Take a nap and we'll head to that exam together."

"I'm not going" said Atsumi.

"Yes, yes you are" said Tashi. "I won't have any jerk of a professor call any of my friends a coward for not showing up for his test. At least do that much! I know you don't want to and that you've lost someone important Atsumi, but don't forget about your own life while you mourn for another. Would Old Momo want you to miss this test on her account?"

"No, I guess she'd say go" said Atsumi, drained.

"Fine, it's settled. Sleep for a while. I'll wake you before we go" said Tashi.

Later that morning Atsumi put on her uniform and found it to be a bit scratchier than before. She shrugged a it off and decided to head to the exam. She saw Tashi outside the classroom. She tried to avoid her but the other girl wasn't taking the hint. "So you're ready I take it?" asked Atsumi.

"Yep. You?" replied Tashi cheerfully.

Atsumi said "What do you fucking think?"

"I think you might want to put your hand together in prayer when you're concerned." Tashi forced Atsumi's hands together and Atsumi saw why her uniform was itchy. Tissue paper was lightly stitched into the sleeves. In Tashi's perfectly clear script was a series of dates and names. Tashi said "You may want some water too so here's a bottle and a cup. And here are a couple of pens. Atsumi took the pens and realized they too had tissue inside decorated with Tashi's script.

Atsumi was too shocked to speak. The bell rang and everyone entered the room and took their seats. The professor looked over the class critically and passed out the exam. Tashi put her head down and began to write. She became vaguely aware of the professor moving about the room. She glanced across the room at Atsumi who had her hands together in 'prayer'.

Atsumi was surprised at how easy it was to use Tashi's devices. Atsumi did relatively well on the multiple choice questions without Tashi's help, but she relied on the facts sewn into her clothes, and stored in her pen heavily. The professor began to walk around the room. When he approached Atsumi he narrowed his eyes in suspicion. She gripped her pen as though stuck on a question, covering the answers within the pen. The professor suddenly gripped Atsumi's arm and wrenched it up.

Tashi went back to work then heard the professors voice whispering harshly. She looked over and saw it was at Atsumi. Her eyes were wide with surprise and the professor grabbed her wrist. Atsumi gasped not being able to think of a come back or a way to defend herself. The professor raised her hand and pushed her sleeve down to the elbow. He examined Atsumi's arm for writing. While he did that Atsumi dropped the pen she was using into the cup of water under her chair. The tissue paper inside of it and incriminating evidence dissolved.

Atsumi was shaking. Tashi thought it was time to step in. She let out a squeak and put on a horrified face. "Professor!" she said shocked at the obvious impropriety. "How…how could you!"

One of the lower-class men in the room said "What's the big deal? He thought she was cheating."

Tashi took the opportunity to explain, and possibly get the professor to put some distance between him and Atsumi. "Forthwall, I'm surprised you don't know." She looked at the rest of the class and said "The flesh of a woman's forearm is…well…_personal_'. Tashi emphasized personal because it was true. The women of the entertainment district often enticed their customers by showing only a flash of the wrist when pouring tea. In the higher classes it was well known that a flash of the wrist could be a highly erotic scene. The women in the entertainment districts had made it an art.

By Tashi bringing it to everyone's attention she made the professor pause before he checked the other arm or looking closer at Atsumi's sleeves. Tashi's status added credibility to her complaint if she decided to file one, and also put pressure on him to watch his etiquette. Tashi was a hero to every other girl in the room who had written 'reminders' on the flesh of their arms. He couldn't check any of them.

Atsumi wiped the sweat off her brow and finished up an essay. Atsumi was shaken and thankful he didn't see the scrawl hidden oh her sleeves.

After time was up and Atsumi went straight to the ladies room. She stared at the toilet and heaved swearing to herself and the heavens she would never pull a stunt like that again, nevertheless allow Tashi to go down for it.

Atsumi watched the tissue paper she took from her sleeves dissolve in a toilet before she flushed it. Tashi came into the bathroom and leaned over a sink. She too was shaking. Atsumi watched her splash some water on her face and then compose herself into the bright and optimistic noble's daughter that everyone expected her to be.

Atsumi came out of the stall and Tashi greeted her with a smile. "Atsumi, that was close, eh?"

Atsumi didn't know what to say. "You are the fucking craziest bitch I know. I…why do you do these things for me?"

Tashi looked a bit confused and said "Why wouldn't I?"

"If he had seen the writing he would've known it was you who helped me."

"How? I know you wouldn't have told him."

"Nah, nah, but there's a difference in the writing of a noble and that of a street rat who learned her letters using a stick in the dirt. I've been nothin' but trouble fer you. Now…You coulda lost everything in their Tashi. He woulda known that wasn't my handwriting."

"I did it because you had more to lose. I have a powerful family I could press into covering this up or erasing it from my record. You don't. You're having quite the effect on me, Atsumi. It was tough, but at least I learned how to write on tissue paper. At least I can say you're teaching me a bunch." The girls then went to the next class somewhat relieved


	13. A Shift In The Tide

Chapter 12 Shift in the tide

The semester went by quickly and Tashi studied hard to excel at her academics. Her kidou skills improved and she was soon at the top of her class. Renji did not spend all his time following her, but on the few occasions he was asked to check in on her he saw the Yukimaru fellow close by.

'What a punk' thought Renji laughing at the boy's persistence. 'She's turning into someone new and he's following her around like a puppy. How pathetic.' He crossed his arms confident in his own strength and masculinity. He then spotted Rukia across the lawn and flash stepped to her side. "Hey! Rukia! What are you doing here?" he blurted, excited to see her.

"Renji?" she said surprised that he so suddenly appeared. "Oh, I was here with Nii-sama. As you know the Captains and Vice-Captains are on campus for the graduation ceremony."

"Right right" said Renji realizing he ran over to Rukia just as Yukimaru ran over to Tashi. 'Gods, I'm pathetic.' His face fell at the realization.

"Renji? What's wrong?" she asked.

Renji plastered a smile on his face and said "Oh nothing nothing. This class looks promising, eh?"

As Renji and Rukia chatted Tashi walked with Eri across the campus and wanted to head back to their house. They were joking about something Atsumi did when Yukimaru ran up behind them. "Hey! Tashi!"

Tashi groaned to Eri who said "Better get used to it he's going to be your man someday, right?"

"Right" said Tashi unenthusiastic.

Yukimaru said hello to Eri and Tashi then asked "Where are you guys headed?"

Eri and Tashi looked at each other and said "We're going home."

"Why? The Captains are going to be on campus! We should stick around!"

Tashi looked at Eri and said "Maybe I should find Captain Hitsugaya and thank him. I think he's the one who recommended me. I should thank him properly."

"Oh yeah! That's right!" said Eri.

Yukimaru made a comment which the girls pretty much just ignored. Eri then said "Oh no! What if…what if that Captain Ichimaru is around?"

"And why would that be a problem?" said a fourth voice.

Tashi felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up and she said "No reason, Captain Ichimaru. You're here for graduation, I take it?"

"Yes little lady, I am" he said. Tashi turned around to face him and he came a little too close for her comfort. "I'm checkin' in on our new graduates. I've come to see if they're as great as everyone keeps tellin' me." He smiled and Tashi felt like he was going to eat her alive.

"Wow, Captain Ichimaru!" said Yukimaru oblivious to the tension in the air. "It's an honor to meet you sir, I'm Yukimaru Satsuma. I'm going into my second year here."

Ichimaru kept his eye contact with Tashi a little longer then finally dragged his eyes away to talk with Yukimaru. Tashi and Eri made their excuses and left Yuki and Ichimaru to talk on their own.

Tashi looked over her shoulder and saw that Ichimaru was still watching her. She spoke quietly, but uneasily with Eri. "Let's go. I don't want to bump into him again. He gives me the chills."

All of a sudden the path was blocked by the 6th squad Captain. Tashi bowed deeply to Byakuya and said "Kuchiki-sama! What a surprise, sire."

"Is there trouble, Tashi?" asked Byakuya.

Eri was still trying to figure out where he came from. 'Do captains always sneak up on their subordinates?'

Tashi didn't want to make any trouble for Kuchiki-sama, nor did she want to be the cause of tension between the divisions. She bowed her head and said "Nothing for you to be concerned about, sire. Eri and I were just headed home."

"Mm" he said. "I think I recall the way. Our ceremonies are over here. I will escort you" he said.

Eri and Tashi who were both bowing looked at each other with surprise. Tashi stood first and said "Yes, sire. Whatever you like, sire."

It wasn't a long walk, but it was a quiet one. The girls weren't sure what to say to Byakuya and Byakuya didn't really have much to say to the girls. They reached the modest house and saw a palanquin in front being attended to by familiar servants.

Tashi said "My parents are here? But why? I'm headed home today for break."

Tashi and Eri invited Byakuya in and he accepted, curious about Tashi's parents. Tashi went in first, and poked her head around the corner into the living room where Atsumi was entertaining, quite civilly, Tashi's parents.

Her father sat in his wheelchair and Tashi's mother sat comfortably on top of the pillows. Both were dressed for their rank and stuck out within the modest house. Tashi's mother spoke first. "Sweetie, it's nice to see you, but what are you doing living _here_? You said it was _appropriate_ housing. This hardly befits you or your status."

Tashi responded "It's nice to see you too mother."

"Hahahaha! Don't mind her cutie, come here, and give your father a kiss hello!"

"Father!" said Tashi, genuinely excited about seeing her dad. She ran over and kissed him on the cheek and gave him a big hug. "Atsumi is telling us all about what you've been up to at school. Impressive. I knew you could do it. I knew you had it in you!"

Eri stood in the doorway and looked back at Byakuya-sama who didn't feel quite ready to make his entrance yet. Tashi finished greeting her parents and walked over towards the door. "Mother, father, let me introduce you to Eri, who is my other roommate and " Tashi poked her head through the door again and smiled at Byakuya who then felt appropriate to enter. "The Captain of the 6th squad, Kuchiki-sama."

Her parents fell completely dumb-silent. Her mother reacted first by kneeling, as Tashi had done, and introduced herself and her lineage. Tashi's father introduced himself and his lineage as well, then said "Excuse me for not bowing properly" and he gestured to the chair.

The couple was older than Byakuya had assumed they would be and was a bit surprised himself. He said to Tashi's father "No need to apologize. I have heard of your sacrifice, and the house of Kuchiki honors that sacrifice."

Atsumi felt she needed to be formal, along with Eri and the two of them awkwardly curtsied. There was a bang at the door and Atsumi ran over to answer it. Before she had her hand on the knob Renji opened it up and stomped in. "Oye! Captain! There's an issue that came up and your presence is—uh" he saw a couple who looked to be more dignified royals and immediately felt out of place. More quietly he said "Uh…you're needed, Captain."

Byakuya nodded at the woman who did not hide her discomfort of the man who was heavily tattooed, even on his face, but the man in the wheel chair only laughed at the woman's discomfort. Byakuya nodded at Renji and the Vice-Captain ran back out the door glad to be out of the stuffy atmosphere.

The captain acknowledged his Vice Captain's news and excused himself. Tashi's mother burst into tears the moment Kuchiki-sama left. "Mother!" said Tashi as she ran over to her. "What's the matter? What's…" Tashi looked at her father who also was holding back tears. "Father? Papa…?"

"It's your brother sweetie. He's taken the final step to the afterlife."

Tashi couldn't believe her ears. "But…he can't die. That's just not possible…"

Tashi's mother wailed.

Outside as Byakuya and Renji walked away, they could both feel the pain of Tashi's mother reverberate through her reiatsu. She was a royal, and her power, though unused was great.

------------------------------------------


	14. Funeral

Chapter 13 Funeral

Tashi stood with her parents and extended family wearing traditional funeral garb of her region. She was draped in white with a black lining, with a large hood that put her face in shadows. Tashi was glad no one could see her face. She didn't want to look back at everyone staring at her. 'Oh brother. I'm going to miss you so much…' She thought of the last time she saw him. He was sitting up in bed and gave her a strong smile, still laughing at the last joke he told her. She closed the door and never had the chance to joke with him again. 'Oh brother, what am I going to do without you? You didn't just save me from my kidnappers, you saved me from our nutty parents!' She smirked, realizing she could still find his jokes funny.

There were murmurs in the crowd that gathered to say goodbye to the young master. Tashi ignored them. 'So many murmurs all the time. I just want to get away. I just want to make it all go away.'

Tashi and her family then went into mourning. Traditionally they had to seclude themselves for 7 months, however over the years it was cut back to a more practical number of seven days or seven weeks. Tashi wanted to take the seven months, but she was reminded that she had to attend school in the fall and should not miss her classes, if possible. She relented and decided on mourning for seven weeks.

Tashi sat in sitting room in her suite of rooms in her parent's house where she often received personal friends. One afternoon she sat with her back to an open window, disinterested in the sunlight that came into her room. Eri and Atsumi were allowed in and she nodded forcing herself to smile at them.

Soon enough though her smile curved into a frown and Tashi couldn't hold back her tears. She fell in her friends arms and cried. Tashi wrapped each of her arms around her friends, Atsumi on one side and Eri on the other. They helped her sit on a nearby couch. "It's been…so hard without him…I…" said Tashi unable to finish her sentence.

Atsumi quietly said "Of course it's been hard! You've done nothing but sit in this fuckin' room, in the dark for like, fuckin' weeks now."

Eri grimaced at her friend's language at such an inappropriate time. Tashi said "I know, but I can barely face looking out the window, how can I walk out the door?"

The breeze filled the long lacy curtains that decorated Tashi's enormous windows. The three girls sat quietly for a moment watching the breeze fill and deflate the delicate curtain. The rest of the room was dark, and draped in black velvet. The atmosphere was heavy, and serious. The three girls linked arms and kept each other up. Atsumi thought 'This is actually very peaceful…'

Tashi sat with her two friends dressed in her black mourning clothes. Eri sat on one side and Atsumi sat, surprisingly quiet on her other. Each girl held Tashi's hand and tried to allow their closeness to comfort each other. They watched the lacy curtain bounce on the evening breeze and lost themselves in their own reflections on the fleeting nature of life.

The birds chirped unaware of Tashi's loss and the leaves rustled in the trees. "OYE!"

'That was no bird!' thought Tashi. 'He wouldn't...he couldn't...'

The three girls were snapped out of their sorrowful dazing and shocked back to reality. "OYE!" said Renji as he appeared in Tashi's 3rd story window. He climbed in, completely nonplussed about entering Tashi's bedroom. While she was in mourning for her brother. Without a chaperone. During dusk hours.

He stalked across the lavish room and stood in front of the three girls seated on the plush divan. He settled his hands on his hips and barked "What're you doin' sittin' round here, eh? There are some top students going out on a special trip. Captain Ukitake said you should go. You're going."

"Huh?" said Tashi, her voice cracking with disbelief.

Atsumi let go of Tashi's hand first. "You know, Tash, this might be good for you."

"Whaaaa?" said Tashi.

Eri patted Tashi's hand and then gently let go. "I think they're right too. You've been shut up in this room too long. It's time to go back to living, Tashi."

"Yeah, listen to pigtails there" said Renji, unable to remember Eri's name for the life of him. Eri knew this and frowned at the Vice Captain. He also scratched his head under his ponytail remembering what Captain Ukitake told him. 'Go and tell Tashi about the trip. She is one of our top students and it would be a waste for her to miss this. I think she would benefit highly from it.'

Renji responded with 'Isn't that more of a messenger task?'

'Well, yes' said Ukitake, but I think you can handle the task.' He smiled at Renji, and Renji was reminded of one of the rules that went unsaid among the Vice Captains: never question the captain, even if they are not your own.'

'Uh…yes, sir' said Renji humbled, and once again was sent after Tashi.

Of course he wasn't going to tell them that. "C'mon. Pack yer bags for a camping trip. We're going."

Tashi stood up and Renji saw her clothes. She was wearing a black velvet kimono with incredibly wide sleeves. The sleeves were just about as long as her arms, allowing only the very tips of her fingers to appear . The obi was black satin and her hair was down. She wore no adornment. 'Not even those little pearls she always wears.' Her skirts pooled on the ground. This was obviously not something she was to walk around in. 'Her hair is really long!' Tashi's straight black hair touched the backs of her knees.

Renji shrugged it off and began to look around the room. He whistled looking at the high decorative ceilings and exclaimed "Fancy. You nobles know how to live." It was different from the Kuchiki house, which had visited on only a few occasions. This home had tapestries, and decorative furniture and lots of swirlie things along where the ceiling met the wall. 'That thing she's sitting on looks really cushie!'

Tashi stood up from the cushie furniture and said to Renji with an imperious voice "This is totally unacceptable. YOU!" she gestured as her mother would "Not only in my private suite, but in my bedroom! You-y-y-y-YOU can't just crawl in my window !"

"Hm?"

"My reputation would be tarnished beyond...beyond" Tashi shook her head and clenched her fists. Renji didn't understand the fit she was having and his face showed it. She looked at him and sighed realizing he had no idea what he had done.

Renji looked at her sternly and pointed at her saying "Pack! We're going."

Tashi looked cross eyed at the finger in her face and then looked at her friends who smiled broadly back at her. When Tashi didn't react immediately Renji said "Oye! Hop to it! Go go go kid! You're a student! I'm a Vice Captain! Jump when I say jump! Eh?"

Tashi was about to protest, but she soon found a tattooed arm around her waist dragging her across the room. "Where's the closet? You've got a huge room, but no storage? That's nuts."

Dangling off the floor from Renji's arm Tashi pointed to a large set of doors. "That room there. That's where my clothes are."

Tashi heard Renji mumble "A bit inconvenient. This big old room and the dresser in another--" Renji stopped muttering when he opened the door. The entire room was full of clothing. Renji had never seen so many articles of clothing in one place: without people in them of course. Tashi wriggled free of his grip which was now slack with surprise.

She thudded to the ground and "OOoof!"ed with the impact.

Renji reached out and examined a piece of lace from a garment hung nearby. He didn't ever recall Rukia having so many clothes, but then again he never demanded to see her closet either. He felt a bit of a pang in his heart as he hoped she did have this opulence. He had a feeling she might be embarrassed to own such luxurious things, but hoped Rukia had them nonetheless. He looked over at Tashi who was looking lost. "Pack your uniform, your bokken, some extra socks, uuuuuuuh...mmmm and some uh extra girl things. I know you girls always have extra 'things'"

She looked at him annoyed. He said "What? pack!"

"I CAN'T PACK! I DON'T KNOW WHERE ANYTHING IS!" she snapped.

Renji was frustrated with Tashi and didn't filter it. "WHY NOT? THIS IS YOUR CLOSET! THESE ARE YOUR FANCY CLOTHES AND...AND...AND YOU SHOULD KNOW BEST WHERE STUFF IS!"

"I NEVER PACK MY OWN CLOTHES! I'M RARELY EVER IN HERE!"

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?"

"I'M A NOBLE VICE CAPTAIN! I DON'T DO THESE THINGS! OTHER PEOPLE DO THEM **FOR** ME!"

Meanwhile, in Tashi's bedroom Eri and Atsumi heard a knock on the door. The two girls rushed over and cracked the door open. It was one of the maids. "Is everything alright in there? I thought I heard some yelling" said the old woman.

Atsumi said, pasting a fake smile on her face "No no no, everything's fine."

Eri snuck away the door of the closet open and peeped "Uh, guys. Is everything okay in here?"

Renji and Tashi both glared harshly at Eri and both said "FINE IT'S ALL FINE!"

Eri said "uuuuh...okay, but try to keep it down. Atsumi is currently trying to keep your servants at bay" and quickly made her exit.

"Are you sure?" the old servant pressed. There was more yelling from the closet. Eri came back and pressed forward, afraid Atsumi would say the wrong thing. Eri pushed Atsumi back into the room and only allowed her own head to pop through the door.

The old woman looked at Eri, shocked at what she thought she heard, and persisted in her questioning "Is that a man's voice in Tashi-sama's private bed chamber!?"

"What!? Are you crazy? A man? Atsumi is tough, but she's no man!" said Eri, trying to distract the old woman. Atsumi ran to the closet.

After Eri had exited Renji whipped his sights back to Tashi who put her hand to her eyes and began to cry. Renji groaned inwardly and then began to panic. He was a lot nicer and said "No crying! Soldiers don't cry!"

"I'm notta soldier. I'm a, a, a, giiiirrrrrl aaaaaaaaah" she wined as she wiped tears form her face.

Renji's discomfort shot through the roof. 'What happened?'

Atsumi banged the door open and snapped in harsh whisper "What the fuck is goin' on in here?" She put her face up in Renji's and said "What did you do ta her? Huh? Huh?!" The corner of Atsumi's eye was caught by a piece of fabric that blew out of a nearby vent. Her eyes went wide at the sight of so much find clothing crammed into one place.

Above the racks of clothing were boxes of kimono. She stood slack jawed at the spectacle of it all then at Tashi who stood crying in the center of it. The sight of Tashi crying made her angry for a few reasons. Atsumi said "Tashi, what the hell are you crying for? I got the maid to leave us alone. What is it, can't decide on what to bring. Shit girl. This is insane."

Tashi looked at her rough friend and blinked away some tears. when Atsumi saw Tashi's big innocent eyes her anger melted but tried to hide it. "Oh come on." 'She's got all this stuff, but all she wants is her big brother back.' "Let's get digging. I'm sure we'll find what you need. Or call up one of your servants to do it."

Tashi said "Vice Captain, please wait outside. I will meet you down there when I'm ready."

Atsumi said "Go on" she said to Renji "Out the window, the way you came."

Renji thought it a reasonable request and headed for the door. Before he left he said "Sorry Touichi-san, for uh...for umm..." He wasn't sure how to word it, but he was sorry for her loss and sorry he made her cry, and sorry he couldn't fix it all for her. 'I can't just pick her up and run with her like I did Rukia.'

"It's fine Vice Captain. Thank you for coming for me. I'll be down in a few minutes, I promise" said Tashi.

Renji opened the door and saw a couple of grey haired old ladies poking at Eri snippily asking "Do you really think we'll believe that? That's ridiculous. Hmf! There's a man in here I HEARD him!" Renji slammed the door shut and realized he was in a bind. Actually, he wasn't, but he put Tashi in one.

Tashi grabbed his arm threw him into a rack of clothes. "Aaaa!" he yelped in protest. She pushed him behind a rack of clothes. He stood with his back against the wall and was face to face with a very angry Tashi Touichi.

"You shut-up! And stay there out of sight!" she snapped and pushed some clothes between them.

Renji was afraid of old ladies. Their gray hair and witch like hands always gave him the heebie jeebies. He listened as they entered the room. Their kimono's rustled and bustled as they fussed around Tashi. "Oh dear, oh dear. What are you doing, hanging out in your closet?"

Tashi gave instructions to one of the women to pack her things for a trip she has decided to take. "I'll need uh..." 'I don't know anything about this trip! What do I need?' "Uuuuh my uniform, my bokken, some extra socks."

The two old women exchanged glances and said "I thought you were mourning dear" "Where are you headed?"

Renji cringed at the old lady voices. As they cracked out their questions he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. 'The way they ask their questions one after the other, they're like a two headed dragon or something! How does Tashi deal with them?' His view was obstructed by long silken sleeves and ruffles of foreign lacy clothing, but he could hear and feel their spirit forces. He was fully aware of what was happening in the room and wanted nothing more than to scoop up the girls, release Zabimaru and banish the old cronies to the next life, then run for it back to the 6th Squad offices.

Tashi sighed and looked away. She ignored their questions and said "I think the weather will be nice even though it's fall."

"Yes, milady" "Yes milady"

"Please pack what I asked, and I will pen a note to mother and father about where I will be. No need to concern yourselves with that" she replied.

Another taller woman came in the door and Tashi sounded surprised "Governess Umeko!"

"Yes Tashi, I heard there was some trouble up here, so I came to check on it. Is everything going alright?"

"Yes, Governess. May I ask...I thought you were dismissed on my coming out party?" asked Tashi.

"Oh yes, but in light of your recent antics your mother figured it would be good to have me around to remind you of your upbringing. The tall narrow nosed woman leaned in towards Tashi and said "Is it true that you've been consorting with those from Rukongai?"

Tashi didn't answer and only shifted her eyes away. Renji heard Tashi giggle a little and the Governess did not find it amusing. "What is so funny, Tashi? This is serious! Now, I must say I also heard that you have made an important connection with the Kuchiki family?"

"Yes ma'am" said Tashi, hoping Renji might close his ears. She knew what was coming next.

The governess strode across the room looking off into the distance. "Now, that Byakuya Kuchiki is the type you should get to know better. I might even say you should flirt with him, if proper young women did that sort of thing." She turned and with derision spat out "Not with that wild dog of a Vice Captain he has. I can't understand why Kuchiki-sama would allow such...filth...near him. It is beyond me. You shouldn't either."

Renji didn't need to see the look on the governess' face, but could feel the venom in her voice. He had heard insults like that before, but it had been a long time. Outwardly he would say it didn't bother him and even try to joke about it. However, inside his heart would feel a helpless rejection, and then anger. Then he heard Tashi say "Don't speak about Vice Captain Abarai like that. He is an accomplished man and has a lot to teach us." She didn't snap, but was quiet and calm.

The governess walked up close to Tashi and took her by the chin. She looked in her eyes and said "You have a crush on him!"

"WHAAAT?" blurted Tashi, not expecting her governess to say that.

She let go of Tashi's chin satisfied with her. "I have known you all your life Tashi, and I know that look. It's a crush! This is dangerous. Very dangerous. No, you must stop your association with him."

"No" said Tashi, again calmly. "I will not."

Renji bit his lip from trying not to laugh. From the gasps of the old ladies and the silence that ensued, Renji imagined the governess enraged by Tashi's simple answers. In a deep menacing tone the governess said "You will, Tashi Touichi. You cannot afford to play games now. Your family is on the line. Everything that your ancestors have built has lead up to you. Now that your brother is gone this family is leaning on you more than ever to carry it. Do not! Under any circumstances think that your life is your own to spend flitting around from flirtation to flirtation. The marriages of nobles are built on politics, not on childish passions!"

"I know, ma'am" said Tashi, just as quiet, but less defiant from before.

"Now, where were you going?" asked the governess.

Tashi said "I heard about a..." 'I don't even know what to call this!' "...field trip that one of the captains was leading for those of us in the special classes."

"Field? Trip?" asked the governess. "This won't involve those dastardly hay rides and grass stains will it?"

"No ma'am" said Tashi. 'I suspect it's more along the lines of annihilating simulated hollows, but the less she knows the better.'

"Which Captain? If it's Kuchiki you have my blessing" she quipped.

"No ma'am, I believe it is Captain Ukitake."

"Ukitake?" repeated the governess "Ukitake?"

"Yes ma'am. Joushiro Ukitake" said Tashi.

"I know that name. He must be from a fine family" she said letting her mind wander. Renji could feel the old woman scheming something, but couldn't put his finger on it. Tashi felt the same thing. She let out a "hmmmmm" then tapped her chin with a long red fingernail. "If your mother and I meet Captain Ukitake, perhaps we will let you go." The old governess spoke quietly to herself "Now, why do I know that name?"

"Ma'am, if I may say so, I believe the trip is rather soon" said Tashi.

"Well then, we should have tea with him tomorrow" said the governess.

"Tea?" 'A captain of the military drinking tea with my mother?'

"What else?"

"Yes ma'am" said Tashi.

The governess told the two maids to pack a list of things for Tashi to take on the trip. "At the very least you will require these things..." and she rattled off a list of what seemed rather superfluous to Renji for an outing of a military nature.

He heard the kimono clad servants rustling closer to where he was. He could see slots of light opening up next to him where the old women were pulling clothing out of. 'Shit! It's coming straight for me!' Closer closer closer Renji ducked just as a withered old hand yanked off a few things right where he was standing. He heard "Tashi?" from the governess "Why are you still here? no need to stand around in your closet while the your guests, however dubious their backgrounds, stand in your chambers."

"Uh..." 'I don't want to leave Renji in here!' "Yes ma'am."

'Don't leave me with the old women!' thought Renji. Renji leaned on some molding and tried to relax. 'I'll just leave after they finish their packing.' He tried to calm himself.

The governess sighed and started speaking freely with the servants. "Oh dear oh dear" she sighed. "What am I going to do with that girl? I fear it's worse than I thought. I thought she was just getting too independent, I didn't know about the dog of Rukongai until I started asking around."

"She is just a young lady, governess. She doesn't know any better" said one of the old women.

The governess let go a hearty laugh and said "I can't say I blame her. That wild dog is a looker. Oh, Mariko-san, no, not the green plume, the red one."

Just as Renji thought 'What the hell would she need a plume for?' a gnarled old hand reached through the clothing rack and took a hold of his ponytail. His eyes teared up as the pain seared his scalp. The old woman pulled it out just far enough for the governess to observe it. He hid the rest of his head behind a thick piece of cloth.

"Hmm. I don't recognize that" said the governess. "That's not what I'm referring to, but perhaps it will do nicely." She walked over and examined hair of the dog of Rukongai. "Mmm. Very silky, but it doesn't have the flounce we need, it's a bit too spunky. Check on the other side" instructed the governess.

The governess began to prattle on about her youth and the affairs she passed on for the betterment of her family name. "Oh, but I can understand about Tashi's longing. I've seen that dog. Abarai?" She gripped Renji's hair, causing him to wince and bite his own lip. The pain was bad, but he's felt worse. "He was at the house earlier this afternoon, no?"

"Yes ma'am" said the two maids

The governess loosened her grip on Renji's hair and pet the ponytail she held in her opposite palm. "Mmm. He is a looker. That muscular physique is something the nobles tend to lack. They're fit and fine, but they don't seem to have those nice round shoulders you can just grip! And a big strong back to drag your nails down! that's something only the lower classes seem to have. Haha!"

The old biddies laughed and the governess croaked out a chuckle of her own. "No no, those men are for after marriage. She should marry fine then dabble with whoever she wants - quietly of course. The real concern is making sure the right man plants the right seed. But we can't educate her on those precautions until after she's properly wed."

the governess gripped Renji's ponytail as she continued her steamy dialogue out loud. She pulled on his ponytail and he was starting to worry that the wide sleeve that hid his head might fall away revealing the object of her fantasy. His fear was not being caught by the old women, but being caught and abused by the governess. The governess said "Oh, I'd take that wild dog for a ride!" she cackled. "I hear he has tattoos all over his chest and arms!" She made a barking noise and Renji caught himself almost yelping out of fear. "Hahahaha!" she laughed and so did the maids.

She released Renji's hair and he thought twice about drawing back behind the closet. 'Plumes don't tend to move on their own' he thought. '...whatever the hell a plume is.'  
------------------------------------------------------

Tashi paced back and forth in her bed chamber with Atsumi and Eri seated in front of her. "This is bad this bad this is bad this is bad" repeated Tashi over and over. Atsumi slapped her knee and laughed loudly. Tashi stopped her pacing and looked at Atsumi. "Do you think this is FUNNY?"

Eri shushed Tashi and said "Sh! We don't need anymore yelling! Who knows what will happen! We don't need your mother coming up! She'd sniff out Renji for sure!"

Tashi lost color in her face and said "You're right you're right you're right."

Atsumi laughed when she said "I think you were in more danger when you rescued me from Tetsuo's the first time, yet I don't' think I've ever seen you more afraid. You need to relax."

"No, Atsumi" said Eri. "She's right, this is more dangerous. This is a sensitive time! The death of her brother makes her the only heir! She has to marry the right man. She's under tight scrutiny right now."

"It's all a bunch of BS. Why do you play these games, Tashi?"

Eri jumped to Tashi's defense. "She has to play their stupid game for now, but..."

"But what?" asked Atsumi. "When do you get to play by your rules?"

Eri's eyes darted around while she tried to think of an answer. When she couldn't find one she looked to Tashi. Tashi's shoulders slumped and she said "I don't. Once I get married, and have children of my own, I just instruct them to do the same."

The governess emerged from the closet with the two servants. "Tashi" she said smiling "I'll be sure to set up that tea with Captain Ukitake." She saw Tashi pouting and looking frail. She walked over to her and reached out her arms "Oh Tashi, I'm so glad to see you again, but it's too bad it's under these circumstances." She hugged Tashi and told her "I want nothing but the best for my little lady. You've always been the jewel of this family and I'm sure you will do us all proud. We just have to get you back on track" she winked.

"Yes, governess" said Tashi. Then the three older women left.

Atsumi tossed herself back on the divan and said "Gods, what a bitch."

"Don't say that! Governess is just looking out for my best interests" defended Tashi.

Atsumi said "Guess what honey, it looks like no one is looking out for _your_ best interests."


	15. Tea With The Governess

Chapter 14 Tea With the Governess

Renji then emerged from the closet, his ponytail changed from the spunky spray of red hair tied tightly at the back to a loose sad side ponytail with sprigs of staticy hair sprouting from here and there. His face wore an un-amused expression. He said "That governess will be quite an enemy, but I think my captain is more suited to battle her." His face twitched from frustration and aggravation.

The sight of the static clung Shinigami was enough to break the tension and make all three girls fall over with laughter. Renji didn't think it was so funny and walked back over to the window. It was night time now and the stars lit the sky. He saw himself in a mirror and fixed his hair. Tashi walked over to him and thanked him for all the trouble. "Thank you Vice Captain Abarai. If you could, I would appreciate you passing on to Captain Ukitake that my family would not be too keen on me joining a Hollow-hunting party, but however, I am very interested in going."

"Yeah. Sure. Why him?"

"Isn't he in charge of it?" asked Tashi.

"No, he just wanted you to come. Captain Kuchiki will be heading this outing" said Renji.

"Damn" she said,

"What? I thought that'd be good" said Renji "Going from what your maids were sayin."

"Well, he would be less likely to color the truth" explained Tashi.

Atsumi interrupted and said "Then just have Ukitake come for tea. That old bat don't have to know he's not headin' it up."

"Perhaps..." said Tashi "…if I lived in a bubble and nobody spoke to anyone. It would come out eventually. Oh, I can't think about this right now!" said Tashi.

Eri said "You're pretty good at coming up with solutions Tashi. It was you who messaged Atsumi. It was you who figured out about the food poisoning, it was you who fooled the professor, and it was you who helped us avoid trouble that time we--" Eri looked at the Vice Captain in front of her and said "Well...you know. When we did that thing."

"But they were different!" said Tashi.

"Not really. The only difference was that it was for other people Tashi. You've got to think about yourself now. Go on Vice Captain, we'll take it from here. You go fill in Ukitake on what's happened and ask his advice. If we come up with a plan before tea tomorrow we'll let you know."

Renji put his foot up on the window sill and said goodnight. Before he left he said "That governess of yours seems to know the name Ukitake. Maybe that can help you, ah?"

"Maybe" said Tashi. "Thanks!"

Renji sped off and hid in the shadows of the night. He reported back to Ukitake and told him what took him so long. "I see" said the captain. "Well I am glad that Tashi was enthusiastic about the outing however I really can't go against her parents if they don't' want her to go."

Renji kneeled before the captain and said "Yes sir."

"I can't lie..." the captain tapped his chin "...but..."

"Sir?" said Renji feeling a bit of danger.

"I can simply not correct them" he smiled. "If they assume I'm in charge then all I have to do is make them comfortable with the idea of Tashi being in my care and divert the conversation to more benign subjects."

"Sir?" said Renji definitely feeling the danger now.

"Hm?"

"Captain Kuchiki is in charge. Won't he find out about this?"

"I'll take care of Kuchiki. I am his senior you know" said Ukitake with confidence. The willowy captain looked out a nearby window and said "Plus, I think he may be sympathetic to her."

"I don't know, sir, he prefers to stick to the letter of the law."

Ukitake frowned and said "You're right. We'll just have to keep any of this from reaching his ears."

----------------------------------------------  
Atsumi, Eri, and Tashi lay in Tashi's large four post bed. "So guys, what do you think? Is it worth the risk?"

"You'll be un-chaperoned" said Eri.

"With a buncha hot guys" said Atsumi. "I hear the blondie Vice-Captain will be there."

"The blondie?" asked Eri.

"Yeah, Vice Captain Izuru" said Atsumi with a sigh.

Eri said "Do we have a crush on him Atsumi? Huh? A wittle bitty cwush, eh?"

"Shuddup!" snapped Atsumi.

"But is it worth it?" asked Tashi ignoring their side conversation. "I can lie to do it, but what if I'm caught. What if gets back to my parents that I was in danger never the less surrounded by young viral men? Will it have been worth it?"

"What would they do?" asked Eri.

"Probably pull me from the academy."

"NO WAY!" screamed Atsumi. "That's insane. Your family is fuckin' insane. Nuts."

"Not really. They're just different from yours" said Tashi.

Eri said "Why don't we worry about it tomorrow. Like you said we'll tell the governess and your mother it's a social outing meant to build repour with your fellow Shinigami and of course to teach you guys...uh...what was it?"

"Proper leadership etiquette separate from those who we will one day be leading" said Tashi.

"Hah!" laughed Atsumi. "I'll leave early and get the message to Abarai, but shit Tashi, you've done it again."

"No, I haven't done anything" said the noble. "It's up to Ukitake pull it off. Now, back to this crush you have on Vice Captain Izuru."

------------------------------------------------------  
The next day Ukitake approached Tashi's impressive dwelling along with Renji. "Oye, Captain, why did you ask em to come along?"

"Well, from what you told me I think the governess might be easily distracted by you."

Renji became fidgety at the memory of the governess barking. "Uuuuuh...I don't know about this...I do'nt know how I could be any help...I um...maybe..."

"I want you here Abarai" he said sternly. Ukitake looked over his shoulder and said "Tashi can't do this without you."

"Yes, sir" said Renji, accepting whatever fate lay before him.

The servants led them to the tea room where they took their seats. Renji was uncomfortable among the finery that surrounded him and the gilded furniture he sat in. Ukitake chuckled at Renji's obvious discomfiture. "Relax Renji, we're guests. Enjoy it. Not every gets to see the inside of a true noble's home."

"Yeah..." he said distracted by the decadence of the room. 'To think there are children living in huts in Rukongai, but here they are with gold furniture...'

Tashi's mother and the governess entered the room and gracefully greeted Ukitake and Renji. Renji bowed while Ukitake greeted them more casually. Renji's skin crawled as he felt the governess's eyes on him. She was disgusted, and aroused all at once. He could feel his blush and couldn't meet their eyes. Renji was impressed by Tashi's mother's spirit force, and it reminded him of when he first encountered Captain Kuchiki.

A few nameless servants quietly came into the room and poured some tea into the delicate cups. Renji noted how easily Ukitake adjusted to his surroundings. He complimented and charmed the women and the outing hadn't come up in conversation yet. The governess excused herself saying she was going to get Tashi and a servant asked to speak with Tashi's mother for a moment. She excused herself and whispered with a servant near the door.

Ukitake turned to Renji with a panicked look on his face and whispered "I know that governess! Her mother nursed my father when I was younger. If she recognizes me..."

Renji didn't quite understand his fear "What's the problem? Wouldn't that be good, a connection?"

"Yes...but...she..." Ukitake couldn't finish the sentence because Tashi's mother had rejoined them. Ukitake's fear seemingly evaporated from his features and Renji was left in the dark. When the governess returned Renji noticed she was eyeing Ukitake critically while he spoke to Tashi's mother.

The governess gasped and halted the conversation. "You! You're Shiro-chan! I knew I knew you! I knew it! You may have grown your hair long and outgrown your pudginess, but I remember you now!"

Ukitake tried to play dumb, but the governess smiled, and laughed. She pulled out a fan and demurely hid behind it. "don't you remember me Shiro-chan? Hmm?"

Ukitake looked away, scratching his head, trying not to remember. "Uuuuh...I'm sorry..."

"Umeko! We met when your father fell ill. My mother was a nurse to your father!"

"Oh..OH!" he pretended the memory came back to him. "Oh yes, how could I forget you, Umeko, yeaaaah."

"Oh Shiro-chan!" giggled the older woman. "I had it bad for you back then, eh?"

Ukitake tried to laugh it off and said "Yes, well, we were younger and all. Heh hehe." He nervously rubbed the back of his head and there was an awkward lull in the conversation.

Renji tried to distract the ladies attention away from Ukitake and asked "So, where's Tashi, I thought you were going to bring her here?"

Tashi's mother looked away as if she didn't even see Renji sitting there. The governess was directly addressed so it would have been rude for her to say nothing. "She's still preparing. She will be down momentarily." Renji regretted trying to distract the governess, because it worked all too well. The older woman's eyes quickly ran over him and he felt a bit of a chill down his spine.

Tashi then made her appearance in the doorway. She was dressed in a kimono Renji recalled being hidden behind. the light pastel shades were appropriate for the season and complimented her complexion and silky black hair. Renji closed his gaping mouth and took note of the unusual twist her hair was in. It was tied tightly back, which emphasized how shiny her hair was. Renji caught himself staring and stopped when Ukitake made a personable and appropriate comment on her appearance.

"Yeah" agreed Renji. "You look very different than you normally do in your uniform." He laughed. "I almost didn't recognize you!" Renji topped off his awkward statement with a goofy laugh.

Tashi's mother was clearly uncomfortable with Renji and smoothed over her own hair to distract herself from his presence. "Tashi dearest, please have a seat. Apparently Captain Ukitake and Governess Umeko know each other." She winked at Ukitake and said "And perhaps were sweet on each other at one point?" Tashi's mother and the governess giggled as if they were school girls, and Ukitake laughed nervously.

"I'm glad you came down, daughter" said Tashi's mother "I was just about to ask the Captain here about the outing." She looked at Ukitake and asked "What exactly would my daughter be doing, Captain?"

Ukitake smiled and said "Nothing out of the ordinary for a student."

Tashi sat down in her own chair and said to Ukitake. "I apologize, Captain, I didn't really get a chance to explain it properly to her, Captain." Renji noted how smooth and graceful Tashi's movements were. He now understood how different the world of the Shinigami Academy was compared to her own home and literally how she moved about within it.

Tashi continued looking at her mother. "From what I understand they will be taking only the elite students, and grooming our leadership potential."

Ukitake was delighted at Tashi's answer, for it was both a delicate way to describe the Hollow hunting expedition, but also true. "Yes, Tashi, well put" he said. Renji gruffly nodded his agreement.

"Oh, Mm, well" said Tashi's mother said "That sounds very nice. What kind of things will they learn?"

"Leadership is both a natural attribute and a learned behavior. Tashi is lucky enough to have been born into a family renowned for its leadership, as have some of her classmates. Yet, it never hurts to sharpen those skills."

"Yes, mother" said Tashi as she picked up her cup of tea. "You can think of this outing as one which will sharpen my leadership etiquette."

Ukitake was surprised at how well Tashi manipulated the words to make them more pleasing to her mother. Tashi's mother was easily won over, but the governess was sharper than that and knew Tashi better. The governess then began her questions. "What kinds of activities will sharpen your etiquette my dear?"

Renji saw both Ukitake and Tashi were about to be at a loss for words. Renji decided to intervene. 'I can play this game too!' He coughed. Drawing the governess' attention and that of Tashi's mother who backed away, as if she were afraid the stray dog of Rukongai had brought a host of communicable diseases into her home. It stopped the conversation, so he kept at it. Soon he stood up and took a few steps away, turning away and leaning on a table.

"Vice Captain Abarai!" said Tashi. She put her tea down, and was about to reach out to him, but the governess stood and gently grabbed a hold of her. Ukitake swallowed his irritation with the fussy women and approached Renji who was still hacking away. He winked at Ukitake who understood what was going on.

Renji swallowed and caught his breath. "My apologies" he said "I think it must've gone down the wrong pipe. Sorry." He topped off his performance with a few more coughs. Renji sat himself down in a chair away from the group. As Renji rapped his chest he saw the governess bravely step forward away from Tashi and her mother 'Good, good, splitting up the enemy is always a good way to start.'

"Are you...ill, Vice Captain Abarai?" asked the governess.

"No, no, no. I just choked on some tea" assured Renji.

Ukitake said with a flair of his charisma and seeing an opportunity for distraction "Renji is one of our healthiest Shinigami! He's the example health." Ukitake turned and gave Renji a look that said play along. "We wish more young men would be as dedicated to physical well being as Renji." He patted Renji on the back forcefully and said "You should roll up your sleeve and show them your biceps Renji!"

Renji's cheeks burned bright red from embarrassment. He also knew where Ukitake was going with this. 'Oh no!' "No, no, no...that wouldn't be...appropriate, Captain."

Tashi's mother heartily agreed. "Sorry if I offended you" said Ukitake "that wasn't my intention." He smiled and Tashi's mother relaxed.

Tashi's mother said "Let's move this out to the garden. The flowers are in full bloom today! Perhaps the fresh air will help Renji's tea drinking hahahaha." She was the only one who laughed at her attempt at a joke.

Tashi and her mother led the way, with Ukitake and the governess following and finally Renji taking up the rear. Ukitake caught up with Tashi and her mother and the governess winked at Renji saying "Now that Tashi is safely out of sight, let's take a look at those guns!" Renji wasn't quite sure what she was asking for and his confusion only made the governess want him more. "Let's see your arms, eh?"

Renji tried to refuse politely and to subtly put distance between them, but the governess was persistent. He put up his hands between them, ready to use kidou to defend himself if necessary. He tried to smile, but a certain uneasiness pulled the corners of his mouth downward creating a grim grin. The governess had a look in her eye that made Renji almost sure she was going to devour him. She crouched down a bit like a tiger ready to pounce. Renji heard himself let go an airy squeak from trying to hold back a yelp "Iiiiie..." 'This old woman is scary! Shit!'

She stepped closer and Renji took a step back. They repeated this dance until Renji found himself backed into a corner with a small round table and a plant. He backed into the slender sticks and held on to the wiry leaves. Then he heard Tashi's voice echo down the hallway searching for the two of them. "Governess? Vice Captain Abarai? Hello?"

Her voice sounded tiny, but it was enough to make the governess back off. She smoothed out her dress and addressed Tashi. "Over here my dear."

Tashi saw Renji with a harried look and trying to straighten out his gi. When he saw Tashi he cleared his throat and smiled at her as if nothing was going on. Tashi put two and two together and quietly tucked her rage away in a dark corner of her heart. "Ah, governess, vice-captain. There you are. Now, governess, I know you k now this house very well, were you giving Renji a tour? I don't think that's quite necessary." Tashi glared at her governess and said "I think he needs some fresh air now." She looked to Renji who was unsure of what to do next. "Come along Vice captain, your tea will get cold."

------------------------------------------------------------------

Tashi wordlessly walked the Vice-Captain down a large breezy hallway out into a magnificent garden. The flowers he smelled were sweet and fragrant. They twined up trellises and were scattered in between finely manicured lawns and shaped shrubberies. They walked on a stone path that brought them over a small foot bridge and down into a sunken area which ended in a long staircase downward. At the end of the stairs lay a large white, iron gazebo that sat in the shade of a few large oak trees.

He saw Tashi's mother and Ukitake chatting with tea in hand. He was surprised how Ukitake fit in with these women and wondered about where the man had come from. He took additional note of his surroundings and said "Tashi?"

"Yes, Vice Captain?" responded Tashi as she caught up to him on her way down the stairs. The Governess trailed behind them monitoring Tashi's behavior.

"I noticed everything here, your house, and stuff is pretty different, unique" he said, trying to point out the differences, but not be insulting. He felt like everything he had said so far wasn't right somehow, and was trying to be careful with the words he chose.

"Yes, that's because my father is from the western portion of the Seireitei. Their customs differ from those of my mother's family and the rest of the Kuchiki's which you are probably more familiar with. The furniture, the food, the way they do their hair. It's all very different. Even the clothing is different. I'm wearing a kimono today in honor of our esteemed guests, but when my father's family visits I have different contraptions for that."

"Contraptions?" said Renji realizing he's not as conversational as he once thought he was. 'Why is finding something to talk about so difficult?'

"Yes. There's this one device called a corset, and there are these strings that lace up the back. I have to get my maids to--"

Just as Tashi began to illustrate the mechanics of a corset the governess intervened "Tashi! I am shocked! You should NEVER discuss your underclothing with a guest! What are they teaching you at that Academy? Why, if this is what you're learning at the school just what exactly are you going to learn on your own during an outing?!"

Renji felt his stomach twist as he realized what he had to do. He walked up back the steps towards the governess and took her arm in his like he had seen Ukitake do with Tashi's mother. "I'm glad to see you're concerned for Tashi, but don't worry. Ukitake is a fine gentleman, and my Captain Kuchiki will surely understand how special Tashi is." Renji braved it and looked her deeply in the eyes. He let his eyes wander down, trying to hide the gulp he took, and back up into the governess' eyes.

The governess put her hand on Renji's and the hungry look in her eye returned. She said "Yes, Vice Captain, I'm sure you're right." Then the governess, continuing her gaze at Renji, told Tashi "Go on darling, down to the gazebo and entertain Ukitake. He is our guest as well."

Tashi was too shocked at what she was seeing to say anything and continued down the steps.

"Well, how about those biceps?" said the governess.

Renji smirked and slowly raised his sleeve. Before he brought up his arm he tried to stall and said "Wait…"

The governess' grim smile faded. "What?"

Renji said "Tashi's mother was—"

"Oh, forget her. Touchi-sama's back is to us, and Tashi is focusing on the Captain. There's not harm in a peek."

Renji all of a sudden felt really dirty. 'For showing her my arm? These people and their propriety are like a virus!' Renji raised his arm, slid back his sleeve up to his shoulder and slowly flexed the muscles in his arm.

Ukitake glanced up at Tashi who was coming down the steps to the gazebo. Ukitake spied past her at the Renji reluctantly showing his arm to the governess and suppressed a laugh.

The governess reached out to touch Renji's arm and the Vice-captain pulled away and playfully said "uh-uh-uuuuh!" and waved a finger at the governess. "No touching! Heh heh" he laughed thinking he had dodged being molested by the governess.

Renji walked the governess arm in arm down to the gazebo. She dug her nails into his arm and he bit his bottom lip in order not to yelp.

They all seated themselves under the gazebo and had tea. The conversation never went back to the topic of the expedition and Renji found it easier to charm the governess than before. He felt a little bad for Tashi who had to witness it all, but he figured she should just get over it because he was the one who was really suffering, not her. This was for her benefit after all.

When the afternoon began to turn into evening Ukitake decided it was time to go. He said "Well I'm sorry ladies, but its time we headed back. He glanced at the governess who was totally distracted by Renji. "Is it safe to assume that you feel safe with Tashi in our care?"

Tashi's mother nodded saying "I see no reason not to let her go."

The governess batted her eyelashes at Renji and said "No objection here."

Ukitake smiled and sighed "Great." He looked at Tashi and said "I'll see you in a couple of days Tashi-san. Until then…" Ukitake looked at Renji and the governess. "I'm sorry milady, but I'm going to have to take back Renji for a while"


	16. Genteel Hollow Hunting

Chapter 15 Genteel Hollow Hunting

Tashi walked with her class behind Captain Ukitake as he lead them to the entrance of the Hollow Simulation Territory. A group of students including Yukimaru, Tashi, and Atsumi walked towards the entrance. It turned out that Captain Kuchiki did not join them and Renji was also tied up. However, to Atsumi's delight, Kira Izuru, Vice Captain of the second squad joined them.

Atsumi and Tashi waited around and Atsumi was rather excited. "We're going to get to smash some Hollow's! This is freakin' awesome!"

"Freakin'?" asked Tashi, surprised Atsumi didn't use a harsher worc.

Atsumi straightened her uniform and said "Yeah…no reason to go all out all the time."

Tashi giggled, looked over at Vice Captain Izuru and then back to Atsumi. "I see. I'll go along with it." Tashi smiled broadly and giggled some more.

"Shut up, Tashi" said Atsumi, irritated her crush on Kira Izuru was that apparent. While they waited for the entrance to be prepared Yuki decided to try to strike up more conversation with Tashi. "So, how are you finding class, Tashi?"

"Fine" she said distracted by the technique used to open the door. The captain had to release his zanpaktuo in order to do so. Ukitake's double blades were the most impressive Tashi had seen so far and she was entranced by their power.

"Yeah? That's good. I heard you and your friend did well on the Hollow Raids exam! You just keep getting better and better. Maybe you can help me next semester when I have to take the course."

"No, you're in a lower level, Yuki, do you even have to take that class?"

"I might" he said.

Tashi then felt malice in the air and it was directed directly at her. She slowly turned around and saw a group of girls glaring angrily at her. 'Oh jeez, jealous Yukimaru girls. Why do they all adore him so much? He's such a loser!' Atsumi was silent, but took note of the menace towards Tashi.

Ukitake and then Izuru gave stern and explicit instructions on their tasks and the group finally went through the entrance. The other side was dark and mysterious. It was a bit cool for Tashi's liking and a bit foggy. It was dark like nighttime, but there were artificial lights so the students could see somewhat. It was explained to them that when a demi-hollow was destroyed a tag would be left for their team to claim as proof they destroyed the demi-hollow.

The students were broken up into groups and Tashi was paired with Yukimaru and another student they were not familiar with. The third was a young man who was one year behind them. Before the teams went to their assigned areas Ukitake warned them once again to be careful as students had been known to be seriously injured and in some cases killed on these expeditions.

Tashi and her team began to move off to the area they were assigned when the group of girls who were glaring at her before passed them. As they passed they bumped their shoulders into Tashi and Yuki then said "Oh, excuse me. You should be careful, you know. Captain Ukitake did say people could die."

Tashi was shocked that her classmates would say something like that and she looked at Yuki to see if he had any clue. He simply looked annoyed and shook his head. He pushed Tashi along and the third student in their group. She looked up at Yuki and asked "Who was that, and why are they treating us like that?"

"They're nobody Tashi. Don't worry about it" he said trying to brush off their threats.

"She threatened our lives Yuki, I'm not going to ignore that" said Tashi seriously.

"Pfft. They're a group of nobodies. Your family could buy and sell them. Don't worry about it" he said.

Tashi was shocked he would say something so coarse and as she thought of a way to responded she drew her sword sensing one of the demi-hollows heading their way. "Yuki, that was awful. Don't say things like that, actually, don't think things like that!" The demi-hollow dropped down in front of them and Tashi said "It's attitudes like that" slashed threw it "which create such division among the classes!"

Yuki was annoyed and rolled his eyes. The third student said "Wow that was great! You took it out in one swipe!" Tashi nodded at him and said "I'm sorry…let's work together on the next one." She looked back at Yuki and said "It's probably why those girls were being so mean to us!"

"No, that's something else" said Yuki.

"Something else?" asked Tashi.

"Sato-san, right?" said the third guy.

"Sato-san? Who's that?" asked Tashi.

Yuki pointed at the underclassman and said "Shut-up kid or I'll pound you!"

"You're not going to pound anyone! Who is Sato-san?" asked Tashi. A demi-hollow began to charge them from across the compound. Tashi drew her sword and ran at the creature then stopped short in front of it, allowing the force of it's on speed to impaled itself on her sword. "Little help?" she cried over her shoulder as the demi-hollow convulsed on her sword. The underclassman flash-stepped over and jabbed his sword deep intot he creature.

IT still writhed trying to get to Yukimaru. Yuki walked over saying to Tashi "She's no one htat you need to be concerned about." He brought down the demi-hollow with the last swipe.

"Uh, I think I do if I'm getting threatened over her!" said Tashi.

"I used to date her."

The underclassman gasped and said "Wait…isn't she—"

Yuki pointed his sword at the guy and said "You shut up!"

The younger boy did as he was told. Then a young woman said "Yeah, she's the one you knocked up!"

Tashi turned around and saw the three girls who were glaring at her before. One of them said "So you didn't even know?"

"I have no idea what's going on!" said Tashi looking worried.

"Don't worry about it" said one of the girls with venom. "She went into labor yesterday."

Yuki rolled his eyes and said "Oh? Is this when I'm supposed to ask if that lying whore had a boy or a girl?"

A second girl from the trio stepped forward after hearing Yuki and yelled "IT WAS YOURS YUKI! DAMN YOU! YOU WERE HER FIRST YOU IDIOT!"

Tashi's head whirled with the implication. Yukimaru, her husband to be, had gotten a girl pregnant and not only denied it was his, but was cold to her condition. Tashi quietly asked "How is she?"

The girl who had screamed said "She's dead. Child birth was too much for her."

Tashi then spotted yet another demi-hollow falling from the sky. Everyone else began to engage in a screaming match. She leapt straight up and sliced it in half. As it dissolved into the air everyone stopped their arguing when they realized they were blinded by their anger, so much so they didn't see trouble coming. Tashi landed and said "This is not the appropriate place for such a discussion. Let us return to the meeting point. We have destroyed the quota and have the tags to show for it."

When Tashi returned she submitted her teams tags and returned home with Atsumi. She told her roommate everything that happened. "Atsumi, I don't know what to do. I got the feeling that this is not the only indiscretion that Yukimaru has" said Tashi.

Atsumi replied "That's the damn royal men for you. Wait, no that's not true. All men are freakin' idiots, not just Yukimaru." Tashi looked at Atsumi, surprised then Atsumi corrected herself "…except Vice Captain Izuru of course."


	17. Graduation

Chapter 16 Graduation

--------------------------------------------------------------

Months later the Shinigami congratulated the senior class on their completion of their courses. This meant that Tashi and her friends were soon to be Shinigami. The Gotei 13 sponsored a party each year for the senior class. The party was in full swing, but Unohana noticed the confetti buckets had not been filled. "Tashi" she said "could you go out to the supply closet and get the bags? I'll fill the buckets in the hallway, hopefully it won't be so obvious.

Though the students had finished all their written exams and their practicals, the last and most important portion of their graduation had yet to take place. It was the last ceremony and it was a mystery to anyone who was not involved. It was a secret ritual and sealed the fate of someone who wanted to be a Shinigami. This party was to celebrate the student's arrival at this threshold and followed the presentation of their zanpaktuo swords. They had graduated from the Academy, but they had not been officially made Shinigami by the ceremony nor seated by Captains.

"Sure!" said Tashi, eager to help.

"Abarai-san, can you help her?"

"Eh?" said Renji, distracted by the snack table. He turned around with a mouth full of Chunky Tasty Snack Mix. "Ah, yeah" he munched "Sure." He dusted the crumbs off his hands and rubbed them coarsely on his gi. Tashi and the Vice Captain headed down the hallway "Enjoying yourself, Vice Captain?"

"Yeah, it's okay. It's kind of hard to have fun with the Captains here." Renji stretched his arms up and then folded them behind his head. "They can be a little stuffy."

Tashi laughed and said "That's understandable, that's how they became captains after all."

Renji chuckled and opened the door to the closet. Tashi turned on the light and stepped in. It was a large closet, more of a storage room. There were cob webs and dust. Renji spotted the large bags on a high shelf and said "I'll climb up and toss 'em down."

"I don't know if that's safe, these shelves aren't nailed to the wall or anything." Tashi lightly shook one with a single hand. Renji agreed when he saw the shelves shake so easily.

Tashi said "Lift me up and I'll grab them."

"Eh?" Renji didn't realize, but he was a little uncomfortable touching the young woman. Tashi didn't have the same reservation, however.

Renji knelt down and put his arms around her legs. He lifted her up and she threw down one of the bags. When she reached further back she heard a squeak and something furry touched her hand. She looked up and saw a big rat twitching it's whiskers at her. She flailed back, screaming. Renji accidentally dropped her and stumbled himself.

"Oh! Are you okay?" he asked.

Tashi looked up and yelled "RAT! RAT! RAT!" She stood up and screeched. She then saw a rat on the floor skitter across and then under one of the shelves. "RAT! RAT! RAT! RAT! RAAAAT!" She then jumped up onto Renji

"OYE! What the hell are you doing?!"

She wrapped her legs around his waist and buried her face into his neck. She was sobbing.

Renji didn't see what the big deal was. He saw she was really upset and tried to calm her down. "Hey, hey" he soothed "It's okay."

The rat made another appearance and she somehow managed to climb up onto his back screaming all the while. "RAT! RAT! RAT! RAT!"

"I KNOW- ack" he said as her sandaled foot somehow made it to his face.

"RAT!"

"OKAAAAY! I GOT THE POINT!" Renji made it over to the door and opened it with the hysterical girl on his shoulders.

"RAT! RAT! RAT!"

On the other side was his Captain. Tashi's face was streaked with tears. Renji put Tashi own on the ground and she quickly stood up straight in the presence of Captain Kuchiki.

Renji looked at her with confusion and said "Gah! Women!" He then deftly leapt upwards, grabbed the bag of confetti, but nearly knocked over the shelf unit. Captain Unohana came down the hallway and saw Tashi in distress. She walked the girl away to calm her down and the sixed division leaders looked on, concerned, but giving the girl some space to breath.

Yukimaru came running own the hall and saw Tashi in distress. Byakuya grabbed his collar before he could get to Tashi. Byakuya looked at the youth and simply said "Explain this."

Yuki looked at Tashi whose legs had given out from under her. She kept her head between her knees and Captain Unohana was comforting her and instructing her to breath deeply.

Renji said "Kid, rats are bad news, but shit, this is ridiculous.

Byakuya said to Renji "What did you do to upset her?"

Renji was surprised his captain would accuse him of anything until Yuki said "No, he probably didn't do anything. Tashi's had a fear of rats…" He looked at the two men and started over. "She was taken hostage by a rival during a campaign her father was spearheading. Her…uh…virtue was not compromised, however she has had some irrational fears ever since. The worst being of rats."

Unohana succeeded in calming down Tashi and she rejoined the group. "I'm sorry" she bowed. "I didn't mean to cause such a ruckus."

Everyone was a little concerned and cidnt say anything. Except Renji who said "Nah, nothing to worry about."

He went into the closet and fried the two rats with kidou. "There, it's nothing, like I said."

Byakuya was shocked and his eyes did not hide it.

Renji looked at his Senior and said "What?" a little defensively.

Byakuya blinked back to his normal inscrutable self and said "Knowing your kidou skills I'm suprised that the entire room didn't go up in smoke. "

The comment elicited a giggle from everyone there, including Tashi.

Byakuya started back to the party and everyone else followed. Before they entered the party room again Byakuya turned to the group and said "After what happened here, your discretion is most appreciated." He meant for the group to keep quiet about Tashi's little breakdown, but he saw Tashi's look of shame. He then added "We don't want to ruin the surprise of the confetti shower."

He then turned sharply turned, his silky hair whipping in its Kenseikan restraints. Tashi was relieved a bit and the rest of them entered the party separately.

Tashi stayed behind with Unohana to set up the confetti showers. Unohana was having a hard time opening one of the bags. "Hm" said Unohana. "I can't seem to rip the plastic. I can't get the right angle."

The clink of a sword caught the women's attention and the bag was instantly cut open. Tashi felt the cold grip of fear wrap around her body. "Ca-ca-captain Zaraki?"

"Ya. You needed a cut, no?" he said matter-of-factly. He rested the sword on the back of his shoulder casually and said to Captain Unohana "I noticed you were missing from the party. I was glad to see some cutting needed to be done! Ha ha he."

Unohana smiled at the vicious captain as if he were just another man and said "Thank you Captain, but I don't think swinging your zanpaktouo is really the best example for our newest Shinigami."

Zaraki looked at Tashi as if he didn't notice she was there and said "Oye. You. I know you. You're uh…Nutcracker, Touchi, eh?"

Tashi went bright red and said "Eeeh. My name is Tashi Touichi. Nice to see you again, Captain."

"Oh? Whatever you say Nutcracker" said the grizzly captain. Unohana couldn't help but giggle at Zaraki's behavior. Zaraki wasn't sure what the female captain found so funny, but said "Eh, that's not why I'm here. Captain Unohana, is there anything else I can help ya with?"

Unohana said "Mmm. Not right now, but thank you."

The two women filled the buckets with the colored paper and Kenpachi lingered on a nearby wall. They filled four buckets which they had to then carry up some stairs. They were a bit cumbersome and they were having trouble carrying one at a time. Tashi lifted one, Unohana lifted another, and they marched down the hall.

They placed the buckets down and went back to the remaining buckets, but Zaraki was holding the two of them, one in one under each arm. The ladies were both surprised, and thanked him for his help. He only grunted in response. After the confetti buckets were secured in place the three headed back to the party.

Zaraki held the door for the two of them then went to get some punch for Unohana. Tashi said to the peaceful Captain "I hope I'm not out of line, saying this, but I think…Captain…"

"I know." She looked at Tashi, smiling knowingly and said "He's got a thing for me."

Before the surprise registered new music poured in from overhead and Tashi felt someone dragging her away. She looked up and saw Renji puling her towards Eri who was holding a long bamboo stick. Rukia handed one end to Eri and the other to Tashi. She explained "It's a game I learned in the living world" she yelled over the music. "It's called limbo."

Eri and Tashi held the stick and Rukia explained the rules to the other party goers. Byakuya flashed stepped to the wall in order not to get roped into the game. Once the game got started everyone against the wall moved in closer to get a look. Soon Byakuya was the only one against the wall.

Renji was one o the first to try Rukia's game and Hisagi Shuhei too bent under the limbos tick. Tashi saw Captain Hitsugaya standing along in the crowd with his arms crossed with a stern expression. His vice captain dragged him into the limbo line and he reluctantly played. When he realized his small stature was an asset in this situation he began to really enjoy it. .

Once the stick became lower people were eliminated one by one. Matsumoto's enormous breasts were what did hr in. Her body was well below the stick, but she couldn't suck in her boobs. Thy knocked stick out of Tashi and Eri's hands. Kyouraku Shunsui did well also, but he couldn't convince his vice captain Ise Nanao to play and lost interest. He and his pink kimono wandered off yelling "Nanao-chan! Nanao-chaaaaaan? Where are you, Nanao-chan?" When he finally found her she refused stating he was too drunk to know what he was asking her.

Rukia was very good, but Yachiru had an unfair advantage being even half Hitsugaya's height. She ahd a much easier time going undr thee stick thananyone else.

She convinced Ikkaku to lay, but Yamachikia refused saying that the posture which one has to take in order to win was not beautiful and he wouldn't be caught dead doing it.

Surprisingly Byakuya was also amongst the finalists. However he sped under the poel faster than anyone could see so therewwas no way to prove he actually went under the stick, nevertheless in the right posture. Soi Fong and Hitsugaya wernt head to head, along with a few third seat officers. Most of the studnest just watched.

Eri and Tashi had a front row eat with heir job as holding the pole. In the end Hitsugaya took the prize. Ukitake bestowed a large basket of candies on him and they took a picture. After the game was over Tashi gave the ple back to Rukia she spied Unohana talking with a student.

Behind them Zaraki Kenpachi stood watching carefully. Ikkaku nudged his captain and jerked his head in Unohana's direction. Zaraki gave Ikkaku a one eyed look of death, but then walked over towards Unohana. Just before he reached her he looked back over his shoulder at his subordinates. They gave him some encouragement and waved him on. Zaraki then cleared his throat. The student excused himself and Unohana turned around.

Zaraki had an awkward smile pasted on his face and stuck up a conversation.

Eri came over to Tashi and asked "What are you staring at?"

"OH! Am I staring?"

"It looks like you're dazing to me. Whatever, come over here there's someone important who wants to talk with you."

Eri walked Tashi over to a group of smiling faces. There was a captain among them whose back was to her. The long white hair of the captain brushed over the number 13 printed on the back of his white tunic and Tashi smiled.

She immediately felt warmth and welcome from his smile. "Ah!" said Captain Ukitake. "Tashi! You've become quite well known among your peers. Even some of the Captains here know your name."

Tashi's face turned bright red from embarrassment. She clasped her hands low in front of her and bowed. "I'm sorry, but I'm not really all that good."

When Tashi stood again she saw another extravagantly dressed man with a large straw hat. Then she spotted the white tunic of a captain hidden underneath his pink kimono. He leaned on Ukitake casually. The hat wearing captain said "If you are as skilled as you are lovely I think I might recruit you for my squad tonight!" The captain put his stubbly face in hers and said "The try outs are in my room."

Tashi was too shocked to reply. The shock read on her face and Ukitake said "Come now Kyouraku, don't' embarrass her." Then the sober white haired captain congenially pushed his friend away.

As Captain Kyoraku Shunsui stumbled away laughing he bumped into Byakuya who overheard theconverstaion and was not amused. "Oops. Skuuuzme" slurred Kyouraku.

Byakuya said "Is that how you address a lady of the royal houses?"

"Whao, whoa" said Kyoraku. "When did you start playing for the other team, Byakuya? I know you're kinda pretty for a man, but you're no lady."

"I meant Tashi-san."

Kyouraku looked at the other captain a little stumped. 3…2…1 "She's royal? Hmf. My apologies then."

"You will apologize to her if you ever to plan to be sober again."

"What if I don't?"

"You're a common inebriated fool, and this conversation is over."

Tashi was engaged in conversation with Juushiro again and missed captains Kuchiki and Shunsui's exchange, but Atsumi didn't. Atsumi who had also brought her own flask of sake, approached Byakuya and said "I see. I got yer numba" she winked. Byakuya narrowed his eyes at the drunken girl. "You can't sacre me!" she laughed "You're highness" she bowed and danced away.

Tashi continued to talk to the thirteenth division but Eri walked away to get some punch. After she poured some juice into her cup Renji approached her. "Oye!" she nearly dropped her drink from surprise, and the fact that he slapped her back when he approached.

"Vice Captain! It's good to see you again."

"Yeah, same here. You know Pigtails, you never answered my question."

"Huh?" She looked up at him and saw a very intimidating face. She saw why his enemies cold fear him. Then he smiled and his goofy side bled through. "You're graduated now, are you going to petition any squads?"

"I havn't thought…well that's not true. I think my skills would be put to best use in the fourth squad."

Renji was surprised and said "Ah, good for you."

Renji spotted Tashi talking to Ukitake and elbowed Eri. "So is she thinking about that squads?"

"I don't know. He told me he would like to see her since he hasn't gotten a chance to talk to her since the outing. I think he was impressed with her performance and I know 13 has some openings. "

"Mmm. A vacant Vice Captaincy spot, but she's not strong enough for that."

Eri grimaced at him but hi didn't notice. Then he crossed his arms and coked his head of wild red hair and said "Yet." The two of them looked at each other through the corners of their eyes and then away. Renji then said "Then again, maybe she could. It's not like the 6th division or anything. She definitely couldn't be an officer in _our_ division."

Eri looked up at hi and laughed to herself. 'This coming from the guy she beat the second time she picked up a sword.'

The party continued on and the graduates mingled with the officers and enjoyed their new status. The time to petition was rapidly approaching and large decisions were to be made. Regardless of the looming Shinigami ceremony everyone in attendance had a wonderful time.


	18. Break

Chapter 17 Break

"Good morning Captain Kuchiki" said Atsumi from the captains office door. The captain just looked up from his paperwork and then back down. He continued to fill out his reports and signed off on various orders. Atsumi laughed in the door and finally said "Well aren't you going to invite me in?" No response. "I did pour you sake you thankless royal jack-"

"OYE!" interrupted Renji when he heard where it was going. He stood behind Atsumi with a folder he needed to drop off to Kuchik. Renji looked down at Atsumi and said "The captain is busy. Come back later."

Reni squeezed in the door and Atsumi said "I just wanted to ask if Captain Kuchiki had to approve the unions in his domain."

Renji said "Unions?" as he approached the desk.

"Yea, like marriages of his noble subjects."

"Why do you wanna waste his time like that?"

Atsumi appreciated Renji's question. 'He's telling me to leave for Kuchiki's sake, but giving me an opportunity to voice my questions. He's smarter than I gave him credit for.' "Well I wanted to know f he had to approve Tashi's marriage to Yukimaru."

"I think there's time before that, eh?" said Renji dropping the folder o the desk.

"Not really. She's been told to give up her sword. The wedding is a month from now."

Renji's surprise distracted Atsumi and she missed Byakuya's reaction, or rather if had any at all. Renji said "But she hates that little puke! She has to petition for squads before she can be seated properly! The time has passed for those foregoing a seated officer spot, even as a back up! If she doesn't petition she can't be a Shinigami! She'll have to wait an entire freakin' year!"

Atsumi sighed and said "and she's giving up a bright future as a Shinigami for that doofus Yukimaru."

Renji's protective nature began to bleed through and his determined frown held back a host of invectives. Kuchiki then said, without looking up from his work "This is none of my concern. Atsumi-san, please waste your time elsewhere."

Atsumi was understandably insulted "Fine!" she snapped "here" She pulled out a scroll. "Maybe you'd like this. It's the announcement."

Atsumi dropped the scroll in Byakuya's IN box and left.

Renji looked at the scroll and then at his inscrutable captain. "But captain! Why did you have me keep tabs on her if—"

"Renji" he said silencing his subordinate. "If she is no longer going to be a Shinigami, she is no longer our concern. She will honorably fulfill her duties as a royal wife."

Renji couldn't believe his Captains heartlessness when they knew Tashi's distaste for Yukimaru and her potential to be a great Shinigami. Renji and Byakuya were both aware of Yuki's less than honorable activities. "If she chooses to marry him she cannot be a Shinigami" said Renji.

------------------------------------------------------------------  
Eri watched Tashi pack her possessions. Tashi pulled her clothing out of a dresser and Eri sat on the bed helping fold the smaller items. Tashi's new black robes and zanpaktouo were carefully placed on her bed. "Tashi…how…how can you just give it all up? For Yuki, no less?"

Tashi calmly continued to pack and without looking at Eri said "It is my duty. A union between Touichi and Satsuna will be helpful to not only my parents butt to the people who live in our land."

Eri said "Are you deaf, dumb, and blind, Tashi? Yukimaru is—"

Tashi slammed a drawer shut and aid "I know, but I don't have a choice." Tashi became a bit more flustered and said "Why are you and Atsumi bringing to make this harder for me? SHIT ERI!"

Eri was stunned at Tashi's outburst. She was also surprised the girl swore. Eri's anger surged and she yelled "Yuki's a loser in more ways than one, and if you think that'll be good for your family think again Tashi! It's easy to have others make decisions for you, but maybe it's time you made some on your own!" Eri then threw down a folded item and stormed out of the room.

Tashi picked up her suitcase and left it near the door for the footman to pick up the next day. She stared at the suitcase thinking about her pending marriage. An unpleasant thought crossed her mind, she shook her head to get rid of it, but it followed her all the way back to her room.

------------------------------------------------------------------  
The weeks passed and Tashi did not undergo the Shinigami ceremony and missed the period of time the students were permitted to petition for the 13 squads. Two days after when the window of petitioning closed, the 13 captains had a meeting. They reviewed the new graduate's profiles and discussed their thoughts about each of the candidates. Ukitake casually asked "So who has Tashi Touchi's application?"

Everyone at the table looked to each other assuming her name would be among them. After a few silent moments of these looks Byakuya finally said "Touchi-san is to be married in two weeks."

Captain Komamura said "So why isn't she here?"

At the head of the table, Yamamoto scratched the x shaped scare on his bald head and said "When a noble woman commits her self to marriage she does so fully and completely. She cannot be both a Shinigami and the head of her household."

Kyouraku threw a glance over to Ukitake who looked very disheartened. Soi Fong swore under her breath and Unohana smoothed out her papers. Zaraki was the first to speak. "Huh. The Nutcracker, right? Mmm. If she loves this boy more than living as a Shinigami then she wouldn't fit for my squad anyway."

"Unohana smoothed out her writing tablet and said quietly "It is a royal wedding Captain Zaraki. Love has very little to do with it."

Yamaoto interrupted and said "The loss of one of our brightest students is quite sad, but we now have other new graduates to consider."

The captains solemnly continued their discussion.

------------------------------------------------------------------  
It was Tashi's wedding day. She sat on the edge of her bed staring at her feet. One of the servants came in and sat down next to her. The servant unbraided Tashi's hair and began to comb it out. Another woman came in with a large wooden box and three others followed with similar packages.

Tashi bathed and her hair was washed, dried and perfumed. She was brought to another room to dress. Tashi stared into a full length mirror. In the mirror, through the open door behind her, Tashi could see the maids preparing her outfit; her wedding dress.

It was a decadent white kimono newly commissioned for this occasion. 'The order for that kimono must have been put in when I first entered the Academy.' One of the servants then began to dress her. Each layer of clothing bound her tighter, and lay heavier on her shoulders. Soon when Tashi thought she couldn't hold herself up anymore the obi was bound. It forced her posture to be perfect and bound her tighter. 'I'll have to wear these everyday after I'm married. I'll be bound like this all the time.' Tashi longed for the comfort of her Shinigami uniform.

When her clothing was in place she was helped into another room where the hair dresser was waiting. Tashi kneeled and the hair dresser began to pull and yank her hair into place. Her scalp was throbbing and her neck began to ache. The hair dresser began to put in the jeweled hair pins and valuable decorative combs. A woman then sat in front of her and began to apply Tashi's make-up.

Tashi felt the hairdresser back away and her mother entered the room. She wasn't as bright and bubbly as Tashi expected her mother to be. Her mother said "This white face paint will help you hide your feelings today." Her mother picked up a white hood that Tashi was going to put over her hair. "This hood is said to bind a woman's horns and represents the obedience she pledges to her husband." Tashi's mother became serious and said "It is easier to do what your husband says, Tashi. I knew women who tried to go against their husbands, and ended up trying to scrounge out a living in the lesser districts of Rukongai. Don't be foolish, Tashi."

"Yes, mother." The make-up artist then put on the finishing touches to Tashi's makeup: red paint for her lips. She didn't put the paint all over her mouth, but created a small mouth, one of which would not be affected whether the corners of her mouth were smiling or frowning.

-----------------------------------------

Byakuya Kuchiki stepped out from his palanquin and approached the Touichi residence. It was a large residence, and had finely kept grounds. An official announced Kuchiki's presence at the door and they were immediately allowed in.

Byakuya said "I want to see Tashi and congratulate her. Unfortunately I do to have the time to attend the ceremony later."

It was an unorthodox request, but the servants could not refuse the lord of their domain. A servant from downstairs made her way up to Tashi's room. She bowed in the doorway and announced "Kuchiki-sama requests the presence of Tashi-sama" This was just as Tashi's mother helped finish securing the hood over Tashi's hair.

"What? What did you say?" Tashi's mother said "Tashi I knew he was at your house that one day, but how well do you know him?"

Tashi was snapped out of her daze at the sound of his name. Tashi was confused at why he demanded to see her before and replied "Not well, not well at all."

Kuchiki was escorted to the reception room and seated in the finest chair. He was offered their best tea and a variety of dishes to eat. He declined them all. He sat in silence, waiting with two of his officials.

Kuchiki heard the rustle of heavy fabrics and the clinking of ornaments as Tashi approached the room. When Tashi appeared in the doorway she looked like a ghost. Two young attendants helped carry her kimono and when Tashi kneeled (in her perfect posture) the attendants fixed her clothing once again. Tashi's mother took a chair behind Tashi's left.

Kuchiki spoke first "Congratulations Tashi."

Tashi's father was rolled in and said "You honor us with your presence sire."

Kuchiki slid his grey orbs towards the crippled man and said nothing. He spoke again to Tashi "Yukimaru is the groom correct?"

"Yes sire" she said.

Her fathers spoke freely again "With this union the boarder disputes will vanish and your southern domain will be at peace! No more squabbles to waste your time, sire"

Tashi thought 'That was only your time father.'

Kuchiki said "Though I have never seen you wearing traditional garb before you look like a proper royal bride."

Tashi's mother said "She has been trained for years. Milord."

"Mmm. She has." Kuchiki looked down at Tashi, bowing at his feet and said "I hope this marriage brings you great…honor."

"Oh it will! It will" said Tashi's father.

Tashi's hands were shaking Kuchiki thought perhaps it was fatigue until she balled them into fists "No, father…" she peeped. Then with more force she said "It won't" She lifted her head with speed and force shaking her hair ornaments. The fire in her eyes took her father aback. "It won't bring our family anything but different troubles."

Tashi's mother was horrified at her daughter being so outspoken, especially in front of Byakuya Kuchiki. "TASHI!" she gasped.

Tashi looked at her father and said "Yukimaru is bad with his money father, our treasury will be empty in month." She said to her mother "And if you're worried about reputation he has more skeletons in his closet than I care to describe." She bowed her head and grumbled and "Who knows how many illegitimate children."

Her father snapped "Who cares about his indiscretions! We all have them!"

Tashi said "You'll care once his 'indiscretions'; come to make claims on your throne!"

Tashi's mother said "Well I never….It's a bit late now."

Tashi stood with out the help of her attendants and sad "No it's not"

Kuchiki passively watched the family. Tashi realized after her brother passed she was the only heir. She had all the power. "I will not marry Yukimaru!"

"You will do as we say!" said her father.

She argued "not if it's not good for this family or the lands and people we are supposed to care for!"

Tashi ripped off her hood and threw I on the floor. "I am not marrying that loser!" She then picked up her own skirts to leave. She bowed to Kuchiki and said Thank you very much sire! Please excuse me."

Then she stormed out of the room.

She wiped a stripe of her make up off her face. She ran back up to her private room and locked the door. She began to cry, but counted what she had set out to do.

Byakuya watched her parents argue. Her father said 'This is all your fault!'

"What?"

"Yes your fault! Allowing her the freedom of going to that damned academy! What the hell were you thinking!"

"What was I thinking? You're the one who paid the tuition!'

"You said if we gave her freedom during that rebellious time she would come back to us easier! That's the only reason I agreed to this!"

"You're the one who encouraged her! What was with the 'I need you to be strong' crap?"

"We needed to make her feel she had control!"

The parents then realized Byakuya and his officials were still there and were embarrassed by their wild daughter, their own outbursts.

------------------------------------------------

Tashi awkwardly removed her obi and the layers of constricting clothing. She ran to the back of her closet and dropped to her knees. She pushed away a layer of shoes and hat boxes. She pulled out a wooden kimono box with the sign of the Shinigami carved on the cover. She flung the cover aside and inside sat her Shinigami uniform. She quickly redressed, and pulled out her zanpaktouo and slid it neatly in her belt. She walked straight to her front door and found her parents bowing to Kuchiki and apologizing for their daughter. She watched. Byakuya saw her and exited with his officials wordlessly.

Tashi went to follow and her father said "If you leave Tashi, we'll never take you back!"

Tashi sighed and said "I could have led this family better than almost any man I married. If you disown me, it's your loss. I am your only heir now. Plot more carefully."

"Tashi! Yelled her mother tearing up at the loss of her daughter.

Her father was just angry. "Get out! GET OUT! I never want to see you r face here again you treacherous wench!"

Tashi turned around and left her family.

My computer had a miricle revival last night and I was lucky to post the last of this story. Thanks again! And once I get a new computer I'll be sure to finish this up for you:)


End file.
